Teen boy charged with murder in killing of Lyft driver

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A 17-year-old boy from the District of Columbia has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a 71-year-old Lyft driver, who was fatally shot during a carjacking over the weekend in Maryland.

Prince George’s County police said the teen, whom authorities have not identified because he is a juvenile, is charged as an adult with first-degree murder and carjacking. He is being held without bond by the county’s department of corrections.

Two other teens have also been arrested and charged with lesser crimes related to the Lyft driver’s stolen vehicle, which authorities said was later used in another carjacking.

Police said the victim, Abdul Rauf Khan, was shot multiple times Feb. 26 around 5:30 p.m. in the Temple Hills area in Maryland, near the border with D.C. Authorities were called to the scene of the shooting and found Khan in the road on Dunlap Street. He was taken to a hospital, police said, where he died several hours later.

Khan, who was driving for Lyft at the time of his killing, lived in Springfield, Va., and was married and had one daughter. His widow, Saba Rauf, spoke briefly through tears at a news conference Wednesday at police headquarters, telling reporters she wanted “justice” for her husband.

The killing has “put my life upside down,” she said. “I don’t know what to do, because he was the pillar of our life, and now my daughter’s and my life is over.”

Rauf said her daughter, who is also a teenager, had one question: “Did my dad call my name when the guy shot him?”

Police Chief Malik Aziz said at the news conference that the 17-year-old who has been charged with Khan’s killing told authorities he pulled the trigger. Khan picked up the teen through the ride-hailing app, police said, though they are still investigating whether Khan and the boy were alone during the shooting and carjacking.

The teen was arrested March 1 after Prince George’s police officers identified Khan’s stolen vehicle in the intersection of Garrett A. Morgan Boulevard and Central Avenue in Landover, Md., authorities said. Police pulled over the stolen vehicle and arrested the three teenagers inside – the teen accused of Khan’s killing, another 17-year-old and a 19-year-old, all from the District.

The second 17-year-old, whom police have also not identified, has been charged in connection with a second carjacking, on Marlboro Pike, which involved Khan’s stolen vehicle just hours after he was killed.

The third teen, 19-year-old Daquan Childs, has been charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, police said.

At the news conference, Aziz said the investigation is ongoing but praised detectives for working swiftly to make the arrests. The chief called for accountability and rehabilitation of young people who are committing violent crimes in the county and the District, a call to action he has repeated in numerous public appearances over the last few months.

“The vast majority of our young people are doing right,” Aziz said. “Then we have those who have no intention of living peacefully among the people. We have a smaller group who want to go out … and hurt people.”

“We want to help our young people, but when they commit violent acts then we can’t shield them from the consequences of accountability,” the chief added.

Addon from News India Times — The news outlet, thepakistandaily.com, identified Khan as being of Pakistani origin. A Gofundme account started by Abdur Rehman, has been started to collect funds for the family with a goal of raising $100,000. Entitled “Lyft driver killed in Maryland community leader” also was described as a community leader. “In 2017, he was hailed as a hero and received an award for bravery for intervening as an Alexandria, Virginia, police officer was attacked, with a link to the video of the award presentation – https://youtu.be/unAUgwIJTwE