Afghan Refugee Who Moved Family To NorCal Shot Dead In San Francisco While Working As Driver
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) -- An Afghan refugee who escaped his homeland in search of a better, safer life in America for his family, was shot and killed in San Francisco late last month, according to relatives.
San Francisco Police said at approximately 4:56 a.m. on November 28, officers responded to the area near Potrero Avenue and Cesar Chavez, and found a 31-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound.
Family members identified the man as Ahmad Fawad Yusufi, and said he was taking a break from a long night of working as an Uber and Lyft driver. Yusufi was parked along the curb on southbound Potrero just before the U.S. Highway 101 on-ramp near the children's play structure at the James Rolph Jr. playground. A suspect pulled up near Yusufi's vehicle, brandished a gun and demanded Yusufi's wallet and phone.
"My brother tried to move his body to get the wallet and everything for him. Then he shot him. Exactly in the heart," said Mohammad Dawood, the victim's brother.
Yusufi was taken to a hospital, where was pronounced dead.
According to Dawood, Yusufi served alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan for nine years but fled the country as American forces began pulling out. Yusufi relocated his family to Sacramento in 2018.
Yusufi is survived by his wife, and three children ages 10, 3 and 4 months.
Family members have set up a GoFund Me account that has collected more than $22,000 of its $100,000 goal as of Tuesday evening.
San Francisco police said the investigation is still open. No suspects have been arrested.
Dawood expressed frustration over the lack of information and offers of help for the family, and said the situation would be "very different" if Yusufi were an American citizen.
"But they know, we have no one. Just God. No one has helped us here. No one," said Dawood.
