A Lyft driver who fled the Taliban in Afghanistan was fatally shot in Washington, DC, police and charity say

By Jamiel Lynch, Sara Smart and Caroll Alvarado, CNN

(CNN) — A former Afghan interpreter who immigrated with his family to America in 2021 was shot and killed early Monday in Washington, DC, while on an extra shift as a Lyft driver, and police now are searching for suspects, authorities and a charity said.

Nasrat Ahmad Yar, 31, was found with a gunshot wound just after midnight Monday in his vehicle by officers responding to reports of an unconscious person, police said in a news release. He was taken to a hospital and died.

Ahmad Yar, an interpreter who served alongside US Army Special Forces in Afghanistan for a decade before the Taliban takeover, had been working an extra rideshare shift when he was slain, according to a verified GoFundMe page.

Four people ran away from the scene shortly after he was shot, video released by police shows. No suspects have been named.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest, the release said.

“Our hearts are with Mr. Nasrat’s loved ones as they confront this unspeakable tragedy,” a Lyft spokesperson told CNN in a statement. “We have reached out to his family to offer our support and are in contact with law enforcement to assist with their investigation.”

CNN has reached out to US Army Special Forces for comment.

Family member: ‘He was working to help others’

Ahmad Yar brought his family to the US in 2021 after the Afghan government collapsed, according to the GoFundMe page. He was the sole provider for his wife and four children, ages 15 months to 13 years, the crowdfunding page said.

Ahmad Yar wanted his children to live in a safe place that would allow his sons and daughters to receive an education, his cousin Mohammad Ahmadi told CNN.

When speaking about Ahmad Yar’s decision to serve as an interpreter alongside the US Army, Ahmadi said his cousin felt it was the right thing to do.

“He believed there should be more options in Afghanistan for girls, women and kids so they could go to school and live in a peaceful country,” Ahmadi said.

The family had been living in Virginia for the past eight months. Ahmadi said.

“His family is in a lot of need right now,” Ahmadi said. “On the night of the tragedy, my cousin decided to work an extra shift because they didn’t have enough money to pay the rent.”

The verified GoFundMe set up to help Ahmad Yar’s family has raised over $165,000 as of Friday afternoon.

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CNN’s Rashard Rose contributed to this report.