Police bodycam footage has captured the moments following the alleged attempted murder of a 17-year-old girl by her parents in what authorities describe as an “honor killing” attempt.
Ihsan Ali, 44, and his wife, Zahraa Subhi Mohsin Ali, 40, have been charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, and assault following the October 18, 2024, attack in Lacey, Washington.
The teenager, whose name has not been disclosed, fled to Timberline High School after her parents allegedly tried to force her onto a flight to Iraq. According to court documents, she told police that her father had been threatening her with an honor killing for refusing an arranged marriage to an older man abroad.
Ihsan later confronted his daughter at the school, where shocking video footage captured him pinning her to the ground in a chokehold while classmates frantically attempted to intervene.
Police bodycam footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows officers arriving at the scene at 2:18 p.m., minutes after the attack. By then, the girl’s 16-year-old boyfriend and several classmates had managed to fight off Ihsan, with a passerby, Josh Wagner, restraining him until authorities arrived.
Despite being handcuffed, Ihsan insisted to officers that his daughter would return home if he commanded her to, dismissing the severity of the alleged attack. Meanwhile, Zahraa was seen having an emotional breakdown over his arrest.
Both the girl and her boyfriend, who was allegedly punched by Ihsan while trying to protect her, sustained multiple injuries.
Officer Sophal Heang, the first on the scene, handcuffed Ihsan while Wagner helped detain him. Meanwhile, Ihsan’s eldest daughter, 21-year-old Haneen Ali, insisted her father had done nothing wrong.
Haneen is accused of attempting to prevent classmates from stopping Zahraa, who allegedly tried to strangle the teenager after Ihsan’s initial attack failed. “He was trying to kill her,” one student reportedly told police.
As Heang escorted Ihsan to a police vehicle, the suspect repeatedly demanded to speak with his daughter. The officer firmly denied the request, stating, “We’re investigating a criminal case right now.”
Earlier that day, police had interacted with Ihsan and Zahraa when they reported their daughter as a runaway. Officers even accompanied them to her boyfriend’s house, where his parents denied she was there. Heang had warned Ihsan against going to the school, but he ignored the advice.
As officers debated the girl’s safety, one officer remarked, “Is she going to start choking her to get her home?” referencing Zahraa’s alleged involvement. The girl was ultimately placed in a women’s shelter.
In the days following the attack, Zahraa allegedly attempted to flee to Canada but was arrested at the border on October 22. Authorities later discovered she had previously taken her younger sons, ages five and three, to an uncle in Canada before attempting to cross again.
Victor Barnes, the father of the girl’s boyfriend, told DailyMail.com that Zahraa fled after learning prosecutors planned to charge her alongside Ihsan. According to him, she left the courtroom abruptly upon hearing the news and later attempted to cross the border.
Barnes also revealed that tensions had been escalating for months. He said his wife had attempted to arrange a meeting with Zahraa earlier in the year to discuss their children’s relationship, but the conversation devolved into shouting.
The situation intensified on September 16, when Zahraa allegedly tried to kidnap Barnes’ son outside the school. CCTV footage reportedly captured her attempting to drag him away before he broke free. The next day, Timberline High School issued a letter warning her that she would be charged with trespassing if she returned.
After learning of his daughter’s secret relationship, Ihsan withdrew her from school, destroyed her phone, and booked a flight to Iraq. According to Barnes, this was when the girl endured severe abuse, including starvation and threats against her life.
The girl later detailed the alleged abuse to police, claiming her autistic younger brother had been treated even worse.
On October 18, she escaped and ran to her boyfriend at school, prompting the violent confrontation. Witnesses said Ihsan emerged from his truck, shouting at his daughter before striking her boyfriend and attempting to strangle her. The teenager reportedly lost consciousness multiple times before classmates intervened.
Despite his initial release on a $150,000 bond, Ihsan was later re-arrested after second-degree attempted murder charges were added on November 5. His bail was increased to $1 million, while Zahraa remains jailed on a $500,000 bond.
Haneen, accused of assisting her parents in the attack, has not been charged.
