Authorities in Washington, D.C. are on the hunt for the individuals responsible for the shooting death of a Lyft driver, as the city grapples with a recent surge in similarly violent incidents. Nasrat Ahmad Yar, 31, was found shot in his car in the early hours of Monday morning. Surveillance footage captured four suspects fleeing the scene.
Nasrat Ahmad Yar, a former interpreter for the U.S. Army, was tragically killed in Washington, D.C. in what appears to be a targeted attack. The 31-year-old Lyft driver was discovered shot in his vehicle shortly after midnight on Monday, as reported by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Yar’s friend, Matthew Butler, shared that the victim had served in Afghanistan for a decade before relocating to Philadelphia in 2022. Yar then moved to D.C. to be closer to his family and pursue his dream of establishing a tow truck company.
Yar’s untimely death has left his wife and four children devastated. Lyft, the ride-hailing company for which Yar worked, expressed their condolences and pledged support to the grieving family. A spokesperson for Lyft stated that the company is cooperating with the investigation. The Metropolitan Police Department has announced a reward of up to $25,000 for any relevant information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.
Yar’s murder is just one of ten homicides that have occurred in Washington, D.C. since July 1. The city has also been plagued by a drive-by mass shooting that injured nine people, including two children, in the early hours of Wednesday. Police data reveals a 19% increase in homicides and a 30% rise in overall violent crime compared to the same period last year. In response to the alarming surge in violence, local leaders have called for increased public cooperation, while city officials are set to vote on emergency legislation proposed by Councilmember Brooke Pinto. The proposed bills aim to address loopholes in the district’s criminal justice system.