A trial for a Washington father and his wife, accused of attempting to kill their 17-year-old daughter in October 2024, is set to begin. Prosecutors allege the incident may have been an attempted ‘honor killing,’ leading to the couple facing charges of second-degree attempted murder, second-degree attempted kidnapping, first-degree attempted kidnapping, and second-degree domestic violence assault. Additionally, Ihsan Ali is charged with fourth-degree assault, while Zahraa Ali faces violations of a domestic violence protective order and second-degree burglary.
The alleged attack occurred at a public bus stop where the victim, a 17-year-old girl, was choked unconscious by her father. Witnesses reported that her eyes rolled back during the incident, according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital. The victim had previously informed police that her father was trying to force her to move to another country, which led her to flee earlier that day.
The victim sought assistance at her former school, Timberline High School in Lacey County, believing she could find help from adults there. However, her parents followed her to the school, as described in an affidavit filed on October 24, 2024. The 17-year-old student explained that a school counselor helped her locate a room at ‘Safe Haven,’ and her plan was to take a city bus from the school to reach it.
While waiting for the bus, her father approached her and insisted she return home. The victim reported that once the father began pulling her shirt, he escalated to a chokehold that caused her to lose consciousness multiple times. Video footage of the attack, recently obtained by The Daily Mail, captures part of the fight unfolding at the public bus stop.
The victim’s 16-year-old boyfriend attempted to intervene by stepping between the two parties, but the victim’s father allegedly punched him. In response, the boyfriend began punching the father in the head to get him to release the victim. Witnesses also mentioned that during the altercation, the victim’s eyes rolled back while her father choked her.
The victim’s boyfriend’s mother reportedly told police that the victim had previously stated that her father had been threatening her with an honor killing for refusing an arranged marriage with an older man in another country. The boyfriend also told police he believed the victim was going to die during the attack, and he described the victim’s mother and sister as trying to hold her during the incident.
During the confrontation, a bystander witnessed the father putting the girl in a chokehold and refusing to release her until he was eventually stopped by the intervening bystander, who called law enforcement. The boyfriend’s father, Victor Barnes, who previously told FOX 13 Seattle that he was glad his son was there to save the victim, expressed frustration over the parents’ behavior, noting that an adult should have been present to escort the victim to the bus stop rather than his son.
Barnes also mentioned that he had to file a restraining order against the victim’s parents due to their repeated visits to his family’s home prior to the attack. This incident has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of minors, with local officials and community members calling for increased awareness and support for victims of domestic violence and honor-related crimes in the region.