NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — People are mourning a young man’s death following a shooting near a hookah lounge in South Nashville early Monday morning, which has resulted in three arrests.
The Metro Nashville Police Department said officers initially responded to a reported crash in the 2100 block of Nolensville Pike around 3 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 24. However, when they arrived at the scene, law enforcement discovered several people in the vehicle had been shot.
According to authorities, the driver — 22-year-old Ahmed Amran — was pronounced dead at the scene and two of his three male passengers, both 23 years old, were injured. There is no word on the passengers’ current conditions.
Officials said the investigation shows Amran was driving away from a hookah bar in the 2500 block of Nolensville Pike when “the Honda Accord in which the victims were riding was specifically targeted by gunfire.”
Amran’s family has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for his funeral. According to the page, Amran was very dedicated to his faith and touched the hearts of everyone who knew him.
The 22-year-old’s former neighbor, Celeste Hatcher, was very upset to hear of Amran’s death, saying he was the same age as her son and a very kind and respectful man. She added that the violence in Nashville needs to stop.
“Insane to see [young men lose their lives] literally daily,” Hatcher said. “And I have young adults, so I’m always worried about them being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Police said they took two men — 23-year-old Sadiq Al-Sahaf and 22-year-old Mohammad Al Rabiey — into custody on Tuesday, Feb. 25 in relation to Amran’s murder. They are both being held without bond for criminal homicide and three counts of attempted criminal homicide.
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Al-Sahaf and Al Rabiey following the victims out of the bar before one of the suspects retrieved an AK-style pistol from his vehicle. He allegedly rushed toward the victim’s Accord and fired several shots. The Accord drove a short distance down Nolensville Pike before it crashed into a law office.
At the time of their arrests Tuesday night, Al-Sahaf was on federal pretrial release related to a drug conspiracy case while Al Rabiey was free on $15,000 bond stemming from a July 2024 arrest on a grand jury indictment for two counts of auto burglary and two counts of misdemeanor vandalism, officials said.
Then, on Thursday, Feb. 27, authorities announced 21-year-old Abanoub Awed — the “third and final suspect in Monday’s murder” — had been taken into custody by Specialized Investigation Division detectives. He is also being held without bond for homicide and three counts of attempted homicide.
Meanwhile, the GoFundMe for Amran’s family has already reached 48% of its goal as of publication, with the number continuing to rise because of all the people he positively impacted during his life. If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, click here.
