A 16-year-old received a three-year detention sentence for the murder of Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a former Afghan interpreter and father of four, during a carjacking attempt in Washington, D.C.
At a Glance
- Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a former U.S. military interpreter, was killed while working as a Lyft driver
- The 16-year-old offender was sentenced to three years in detention
- Judge Kendra Briggs doubled the prosecutors’ plea deal request from 17 months to three years
- The maximum sentence possible was five years if found guilty at trial
- The case has sparked community outcry and calls for more substantial justice measures
Tragic Loss of a Dedicated Family Man
The Washington, D.C. community is reeling from the senseless murder of Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a 31-year-old former Afghan interpreter for U.S. Special Forces. Ahmad Yar, a husband and father of four who had settled in Northern Virginia after leaving Afghanistan, was working as a Lyft driver to support his family when he fell victim to a violent carjacking attempt.
The incident occurred just after midnight on July 3, 2023, when Ahmad Yar was driving to make up for being behind on rent. He was found inside his car on 11th Street NE near D Street, having been shot during what police believe was an attempted carjacking. The tragic event has left a family shattered and a community grappling with the harsh realities of youth crime and gun violence.
The case took a contentious turn when a 16-year-old defendant was sentenced to just three years in detention for Ahmad Yar’s murder.
Just three years?
D.C. Superior Court Judge Kendra Briggs doubled the prosecutors’ plea deal request, sentencing the teen to three years instead of the initially proposed 17 months. However, this sentence falls short of the maximum five-year term the teen could have faced if found guilty at trial.
“There is a lot of rehabilitation needed here,” Judge Briggs said.
The sentencing has ignited a fierce debate about juvenile justice and the adequacy of punishments for severe crimes committed by minors. Many in the community, including Ahmad Yar’s friends and family, have expressed disappointment, feeling that the sentence does not match the gravity of the crime.
The tragic loss of Ahmad Yar has deeply affected those who knew him and many others in the community. His dedication to his family and his service to the United States as an interpreter have been highlighted, making his senseless death all the more heartbreaking.
“He was so happy he got a new car because he could take care of his family,” Rahim Amini, a friend of Ahmad Yar, said.
How can a sentence this short be right?
