HOUSTON — The brother of an Afghan refugee who helped U.S. forces defuse bombs during the war in Afghanistan expressed frustration Thursday that it took more than three months for the Texas man accused of fatally shooting his sibling over a parking dispute to be indicted in the case.
When Abdul Rahman Waziri, 31, was shot while getting his mail at his Houston apartment complex on April 27, police knew who the alleged shooter was as the man had identified himself to officers at the scene, according to authorities. Katia Trevon Bougere, 31, told officers “he and Waziri were arguing over parking,” police said.
“After consulting with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, the male was released and the investigation continued,” Houston police said in a statement a day after the shooting.
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On June 17, police said the case would be referred to a grand jury. Bougere was indicted on Monday on a murder charge. Bougere was not arrested after his murder indictment but issued a summons to appear in court on Aug. 5.
Abdullah Khan, Waziri’s older brother, said he and his family were upset that months had passed without any developments in the case.
“It was heartbreaking … it was really hopeless. I couldn’t imagine if someone is killing someone senselessly. And then the person walking free for months and months. It’s just terrible,” Khan, 36, told The Associated Press during a phone interview.
Waziri and his brother had worked for the Afghan National Mine Reduction Group, a highly trained unit that cleared improvised explosive devices and mines for U.S. Army Special Forces and Afghan commandos.
A group of Green Berets who had worked with the National Mine Reduction Group had sent a letter in May to Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare asking for action in the case. A Change.org petition by the 1208 Foundation that asked for the alleged shooter to be charged has received more than 86,000 signatures. The foundation provides aid to Afghans who worked with U.S. Special Forces to clear explosives.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case.
“As the case is pending, it’s not our office’s policy to discuss facts related to the investigation,” spokesperson Courtney Fischer said in an email.
Court records did not list an attorney for Bougere. He did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment.
Omar Khawaja, an attorney for Waziri’s family, said Bougere has claimed that he shot Waziri in self-defense.
Waziri “was known as a gentle giant … not someone who is going to lose his cool over a dispute in a parking lot,” Khawaja said.
Khan said his brother had parked his car in front of the mailboxes at his apartment complex and was getting his mail when he was confronted by Bougere.
A witness who saw the physical confrontation between Waziri and Bougere indicated Waziri was not the aggressor and had raised his hands and told Bougere, “Don’t shoot,” Khan said.
Khan had worked with the National Mine Reduction Group from 2008 until coming to the U.S. in 2020. Waziri worked for the unit from 2016 until U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021.
Khan settled in Tampa, Florida. Waziri lived with his brother before coming to Houston about two years ago. Khan said his brother had planned to return to Tampa with his wife and two daughters after his apartment lease in Houston had ended.
“When he came and we were feeling safe, we were like, ’Oh, thank God. We got out of Afghanistan and no more gunfire, no more bombs.’ But unfortunately for my brother, it happened to him,” Khan said.
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