Two Washington state parents are facing charges after several bystanders had to step in to stop a father from strangling his 17-year-old daughter outside a high school. Authorities say the incident was a possible attempted "honor killing."
Josh Wagner was driving with his family Oct. 18 near Timberline High School in Lacey when he noticed what he thought was a group of kids fighting. But as he jumped in to break up the fight, he realized it was a man choking a teenage girl.
"So, [I] pulled over to try to get the kids to stop and realized it was an adult male who had a teenager in a headlock and subdued him 'til the police arrived," Fox 8 News quoted Wagner as saying. "It was pretty angering. I didn't know what was going on, why it was happening. All the kids were screaming, yelling."
Father Choked the Daughter 'To the Point Where She Had Lost Consciousness'
According to court records, Ihsan Ali choked his 17-year-old daughter "to the point where she had lost consciousness," as her boyfriend and other students tried to pull her away. The teen's mother, Zahraa Ali, was also grabbing at her and choking her, according to court documents.
Investigators say the teen's father also punched her boyfriend. Victor Barnes' son was one of the students trying to stop the confrontation and separate the 17-year-old from her parents. "He proceeded to black out and punch my son in the face," Barnes said.
The victim eventually got away and ran into the school, screaming, "My dad was trying to kill me." It prompted a lockdown as school staff blocked her parents from getting to her.
Ali Threatened to Kill His Daughter After She Refused to go to Another County to Get Married to an Older Man
Court records state the incident could be related to a possible "honor killing." The 17-year-old told investigators her father had recently been threatening her after she refused to go to another country for an arranged marriage with an older man.
Barnes says the issues with the Alis have been going on for months with one prior incident forcing them to get a temporary protection order against Zahraa Ali. Court records state the mother was also banned from stepping onto school property.
"A lot of these stories exist. A lot of these stories are out here. Some aren't able to be heard for whatever reason. I just want people to be aware these stories do exist," Barnes said.
The parents are facing criminal charges, including assault and attempted kidnapping. They are due in court next Wednesday. According to court records, the victim's school helped connect her with a safe place to stay.
