The future of two teenage girls from the Washington D.C. area lies in the hands of the American justice system after they were arrested and charged with causing the death of Mohammad Anwar. The girls’ case became international news after an amateur video emerged displaying the horrifying moments before the fatal crash that killed Mohammad. Unfortunately this are risks of being distracted when you’re driving and they have to be responsible for what they have done.
The video shows Anwar trapped between the door and front seat struggling with one of the suspects. Onlookers can be heard screaming that a carjacking is going on. Suddenly, the car speeds off and crashes after colliding with a parked car. The crash caused Mohammad Anwar’s death.
This piece will look at the girls’ arraignment and the accident’s details.
The teenage girls responsible for Mohammad Anwar’s death have been charged with felony murder but their names haven’t been released
After the car crashed, the girls were helped out of the wreckage by National Guard members. Anwar suffered multiple life-threatening injuries due to the crash and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. Anwar immigrated from Pakistan in 2014 and is survived by his wife, three children, and four grandkids. Anwar’s family released a statement saying:
“The family is devastated by this senseless crime. Mohammad Anwar was a father, a grandfather, a husband, a brother and uncle beloved by many here in the U.S. and in Pakistan. The loss for his family is immeasurable.”
Per a DC homicide detective, one of the girls revealed that the pair had planned to meet at Metro station to carjack. It is alleged that during the carjacking they stunned Mohammad, who was delivering an Uber Eats order, with a taser and attempted to make away with the car.
The fatal accident happened in the course of their attempted carjacking. The teenage girls pleaded ‘not involved’ (the equivalent of not guilty) to charges of felony murder and armed carjacking. Since they are being tried as minors, the names of the girls haven’t been released. They are due back in court on 31st March 2021.
Anwar’s family started a GoFundMe campaign to fund his funeral and help the family cope with the loss of income. The family set a target of $100K, but so far, the donations amount to over $940K.
Numbers show that carjackings in the D.C. area have tripled over the past year
Per an investigation by WUSA, there have been 95 carjackings in D.C. in 2021, a figure three-times higher than this time in 2020. D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee told the outlet that the carjackers have been targeting delivery drivers. First Street SE in Navy Yard, where Mohammad Anwar lost his life, has become notorious for carjackings.
Perhaps the most alarming stat about the recent spate of carjackings is that a significant number of perpetrators are juveniles willing to assault uncooperative car owners. Police state that 23 juveniles have been arrested in connection to carjacking. Days after Mohammad Anwar’s death, police arrested two teenagers for armed carjacking.