Watch: Teen Girl Rescued After Parents’ Alleged Attempted Honor Killing in Washington

[Social Media]

 

A horrifying incident in Lacey, Washington, when a 17-year-old girl was attacked by her parents in an attempted honor killing. The shocking event, captured on police bodycam footage, occurred outside Timberline High School, where the girl had sought refuge after fleeing home.

Police bodycam footage shows the aftermath of a mother and father allegedly trying to strangle their teenage daughter in an 'honor killing'.

Ihsan Ali, 44, and his wife Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, 40, were charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and assault after the… pic.twitter.com/8KoBMrw8jD

— liten drage (@DrageLiten) February 23, 2025

 

The girl’s parents, Ihsan Ali, 44, and Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, 40, were charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and assault after the October 18 attack. Court documents revealed that the girl had run away to avoid being forced onto a plane to Iraq for an arranged marriage with an older man. She told police that her father had been threatening her with an honor killing for resisting the marriage.

Ihsan Ali, 44, and Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, 40, face charges of attempted murder and after the father tries to choke his 17 daughter to death because she refused to be sent to Iraq for an arranged marriage to an older man

The girl fled to Timberline High School in Lacey,… pic.twitter.com/2oShNSLZpN

— leilani dowding 🌸🚜 ☮️ (@LeilaniDowding) November 16, 2024

 

Video evidence shows Ihsan on the ground with his daughter in a chokehold, while desperate classmates fought to free her. Police arrived at the school at 2:18 p.m., responding to calls for help. By the time officers arrived, the girl’s 16-year-old boyfriend and other students had managed to stop Ihsan, and an adult passerby, Josh Wagner, had restrained him on the ground. Despite being handcuffed, Ihsan shockingly insisted to police that his daughter would return home if he asked, while Zahraa had a meltdown over his arrest.

 

 

Both the girl and her boyfriend, who was allegedly punched in the face by Ihsan while defending her, sustained multiple injuries during the struggle. Police bodycam footage obtained by DailyMail.com documented the chaotic aftermath. Officer Sophal Heang, one of the first responders, identified Ihsan as the primary aggressor. While Heang tried to read Ihsan his Miranda rights, Ihsan ignored him and instead repeatedly demanded to speak with his wife and daughter. Heang firmly responded, "You will not speak to your daughter. We're investigating a criminal investigation right now."

 

 

Meanwhile, the girl’s older sister, Haneen Ali, 21, defended their father, claiming he had done nothing wrong. However, a student standing nearby interjected, "He was trying to kill her." Police later discovered that Zahraa had also allegedly attempted to strangle the girl after classmates intervened against Ihsan. Haneen, who has not been charged, reportedly fought students trying to save her sister.

 

After Ihsan’s arrest, Zahraa and Haneen continued to argue with police, demanding to speak with him. Haneen insisted, "He (Ihsan) didn’t do..." before being cut off. As tensions escalated, officers warned her to calm down or risk arrest. Eventually, Zahraa was allowed to speak to Ihsan through the police car window. The details of their conversation were not recorded.

 

In the days following the attack, police learned that Zahraa had also allegedly tried to strangle her daughter. She remained free for four days before being detained by customs officers while attempting to cross into Canada on October 22. Zahraa was arrested on a domestic assault warrant and taken into custody at the Whatcom County Jail before being transferred to Lacey Police. According to Victor Barnes, the father of the girl’s boyfriend, Zahraa fled after prosecutors moved to charge her alongside Ihsan. She reportedly took her two youngest children, ages five and three, into Canada and left them with an uncle before attempting to cross the border again.

 

Barnes also recounted how Zahraa had allegedly tried to kidnap his son from Timberline High School weeks before the attack. He claimed CCTV footage showed her grabbing the teen and attempting to drag him away, but he managed to pull free. Following this incident, the school warned Zahraa that she would be trespassing if she returned.

 

After learning about his daughter's relationship, Ihsan pulled her out of school, smashed her phone, and booked flights to Iraq. Barnes said, "They wanted to seclude her, and during this period of time, that's when he was threatening to kill her and was starving her." The girl told police about ongoing abuse, including mistreatment of her autistic brother.

 

On the day of the attack, she sought help from her boyfriend’s teacher after arriving at school looking malnourished. Although officials found a safe place for her to go, she was left to find her own transportation. As she and her boyfriend walked to the bus stop, Ihsan confronted them, yelling in Arabic. A student who spoke Arabic responded, "She doesn't want to go back with you. Leave her alone." Ihsan allegedly lost control, punching the girl's boyfriend in the face and sending him "flying onto the concrete."

 

The girl was then placed in a headlock by her father. "It's not right… you are not supposed to do this," she told police he said as he tried to strangle her. Her boyfriend and other students desperately intervened, with her boyfriend punching Ihsan in the head until he released her. Zahraa then allegedly joined the attack, also attempting to choke her daughter, but was overpowered by the students. The girl managed to flee inside, screaming, "My dad was trying to kill me!"

 

The boyfriend suffered a boxer's fracture in his hand while trying to rescue her. The girl was taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital, where doctors observed scratches on her neck and signs of strangulation. Court documents stated that she "believed she lost consciousness three to four times during the incident" and woke up with dirt pressed into her face. "She thought she was going to die."

 

Initially, Ihsan was not charged with attempted murder and was released on October 24 on a $150,000 bond. Zahraa, however, was charged with attempted murder and held on a $500,000 bail. It wasn’t until November 5—nearly two weeks later—that attempted murder was added to Ihsan’s charges. He was re-arrested, and his bail was raised to $1 million, keeping him in jail.

 

Barnes described the emotional toll on his son, who witnessed his girlfriend nearly being murdered. "He's just trying to keep it together... trying to not feel so tensed up all the time." The girl remains in hiding, fearing further harm from her family. Authorities continue to investigate the case while ensuring the girl's safety.

 

Based on a report by Daily Mail  2025-02-25