(SEATTLE, WA, 5/12/2026) – The Washington chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA) today welcomed the conviction of an off-duty security guard for repeatedly shooting an Afghan-American teen in the back as he tried to return an airsoft gun at a store.
Aaron Brown Myers, 51, was found guilty on charges of second-degree murder and second-degree assault in the death of 17-year-old Hazrat Ali Rohani, who was killed outside a Big 5 store in Renton, a city located just 10 miles south of Seattle. Rohani and his friends were returning airsoft guns to the store and had repeatedly told Myers that their guns were only capable of shooting BBs and followed all of the off-duty security officer’s demands. Rohani died on June 5, 2024 after being shot seven times by Myers, once in the abdomen and six times in the back. Myers continued to fire even after Rohani fell to the ground and began to call out for his mother, according to the criminal complaint.
“We welcome the conviction in this heinous case as the first step toward justice for Hazrat Ali Rohani and his family,” said CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi. “We pray that God grants them solace and eases their pain.”
CAIR-WA previously called for justice for Hazrat Ali Rohani.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: Imraan Siddiqi, Executive Director at CAIR-WA, imraansiddiqi@cair.com