Two young teens have been charged in a carjacking that left an elderly Uber Eats driver dead on Tuesday.
Police confirmed two young teenagers, aged 15 and 13, were formally charged Wednesday with crimes including felony murder after an alleged carjacking resulted in the death of 66-year-old grandfather Mohammad Anwar on March 23. The girls, whose identities have been withheld in light of their status as minors, allegedly hijacked Anwar’s vehicle.
Authorities say the girls may have used a stun gun on Anwar, causing the loss of control that led to the fatal crash. Anwar’s car flipped as it traveled near Nationals Park, on the 1200 block of Van Street SE. Anwar was thrown from the vehicle onto the sidewalk. D.C. Fire and EMS responded, transporting Anwar to a local hospital where he later died.
The teens were arrested and taken to the Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide branch for processing. Anwar’s family released a statement, describing Anwar as “a hardworking immigrant who came to the U.S. in 2014 to build a better life for himself and his family.” They said the “senseless” crime resulted in an “immeasurable” loss to their family.
Uber released a statement offering condolences to the family. “We are devastated by this tragic news and our hearts go out to Mohammad’s family during this difficult time,” the statement said. “We’re grateful the suspects have been arrested and thank the Metropolitan Police Department for their diligence with this investigation.”