Teen Confronts 'Disgusting Monster' Dad Who Attempted Alleged 'Honor Killing' at Bus Stop In Court

According to the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, "honor killing" refers to the practice in some Middle Eastern and South Asian countries whereby male family members feel duty-bound to murder a female family member who "has brought dishonor and shame to their family by transgressing social norms."

The 18-year-old victim, who was just 17 at the time of the assault, is being identified only as Fatima, after she asked that her identity not be revealed, according to NBC affiliate KING. In court on Monday, she spoke passionately about the shocking October 18, 2024 incident that was captured on a school bus camera.

"You think I’m a disgusting human being, well I think you’re a disgusting monster," Fatima told her father, Ihsan Ali, in court. "You're a monster, and I can't believe you're my dad."

"How can you call yourself a father?" she asked him, per The New York Post. "You tried to kill me! My dad tried to kill me with his own hands. Do you have no love for me?"

"I know you were smiling when you choked me," she added, per ABC affiliate KOMO. "I’m going to pray for you to stay in jail and die."

The victim then turned her outrage toward her mother, Zahraa Ali, saying, "My mom saw me almost pass away right in front of her own eyes and didn’t help me at all, didn’t see if I was OK ... didn’t even try to be there for me." KOMO reports Zahraa was seen crying as Fatima read her statement.

At the trial for her parents, Fatima testified that she had run away from home on that October morning because she had been abused and she was afraid her parents were going to take her to Iraq and that she would never be able to return home.

She told police, per court papers, that her "father had recently been threatening her with honor killing for refusing an arranged marriage with an older man in another county."

Prosecutors acknowledged the investigation into these "honor killing" claims, but acknowledged in court documents reviewed by KOMO that "there is no express evidence that such was the motivation of either defendant in this case."

While both parents were acquitted of attempted murder charges by a jury after three days of deliberation, Ihsan was found guilty on charges of 2nd and 4th degree assault, as well as unlawful imprisonment. Zahraa was only found guilty of violating a court order, per the Post.

Nevertheless, Judge Christine Schaller imposed the harshest possible sentences on both defendants, emphasizing that she believes that were it not for the presence of bystanders at the time of the attack on Fatima, she would have likely been killed.

"Your behavior was reprehensible and nothing defends what you did," she told Ihsan in court Monday. "You were not going to let her go, you were not going to let her breathe because nobody else was going to control the situation ... you were going to maintain control," she continued, adding that children are not property to do with as a parent desires, per KOMO.

The judge also spoke to the victims in court, telling Fatima, "Always know despite what has happened, you get to define who you are. You have power, and you have strength, and no one can take that away from you."

Video of the incident shows the altercation turning violent when Ihsan allegedly punched his daughter's 16-year-old boyfriend at the bus stop in front of her and witnesses. The father then allegedly choked his daughter until she went limp and appeared to fall unconscious, according to witnesses.

All the while, her boyfriend and other witnesses on the scene attempted to intervene on the teen's behalf, prying him off of her and leading to a fight with the father, according to witness accounts.

As the daughter regained consciousness, local newspaper The Olympian reported that her mother allegedly grabbed her by the neck. In the scuffle with the teen's boyfriend and others, the father allegedly punched the 16-year-old boy, causing a boxer's fracture to one of his fingers.

Ihsan was sentenced to 20 years behind bars and has been ordered to have no contact with his daughter for the next decade, or her boyfriend for 24 months. As for Zahraa, she must serve 364 days in prison, and must also have no contact with Fatima's boyfriend for 24 months.

KOMO spoke with Fatima after the sentencing, where she told the news station, "I wouldn't say I'm glad that it happened, but I'm glad that I'm away from the situation. I'm glad I'm here. I'm still alive. I'm doing things that I'm moving on, but it's hard to really let go from this family."

She went on to say, "People need to realize you need to get more help. I never got the help I needed until this really happened. I had to really get choked for me to get help. I didn't want that, but that's the only way I got help, and I want people to really speak up for themselves."

After the arrests of her parents, FOX 13 Seattle has released cell phone video allegedly showing the moment the girl's father choked her at the bus stop before she went limp. In the footage, other students -- including the girl's boyfriend -- jump into the fray in an attempt to help the teen.

"Earlier in the day she was supposed to be flown out of the country. She ran to the school. She was afraid," the father of the girl's boyfriend also told the outlet, adding, "That’s my son fighting for the girl’s life."

"Her arms go limp. She's no longer moving," said the father, while watching the footage back. "He starts to see her eyes roll back, and her arms start flailing and that’s when he sprung into action. Because he didn't want to see someone he cared about pass away."

Another witness told KOMO that he was driving by and saw what he thought was a fight between students, until realizing what was happening. He then tried breaking it up, holding the girl's father down until authorities arrived.

Ihsan's initial charges were 1st degree attempted kidnapping, domestic violence; 2nd degree assault, domestic violence; and 4th degree assault in Thurston County Superior Court on October 23. On October 29, authorities added a 2nd degree attempted murder, domestic violence charge.

Zahraa was hit with initial charges of 2nd degree assault, domestic violence; 2nd degree burglary; and violation of a protection order. Those charges have been upgraded to include 2nd degree attempted murder, domestic violence.

"There is a negligent aspect to this on so many levels," the boy's father told The Olympian, adding that he's currently weighing whether or not to consult an attorney over the whole incident.

According to the father, his son and the Ali's daughter began dating in February. That following summer, he began to learn that she was struggling at home.

In his court filing, the father details an alleged incident in September where Zahraa showed up at the young couple's school and purportedly grabbed and yelled at his son. The court details that she was removed from the premises.

The father also claims that Child Protective Services had been involved in the situation at the Ali home, but that they stopped just as her situation grew worse. The Olympian was not able to reach CPS for comment.

Police in Lacey received a call about the teen girl a week before the bus stop attack as she'd allegedly run away from home. According to the boyfriend's father, the police brought the Alis with them to his home to ask his son about her disappearance.

"They know where we live and they know how to locate us," the father expressed, with Lacey police Sgt. Jeremy Knight acknowledging his concerns. "We are working cooperatively with the school district and the prosecutor’s office and appropriate measures are in place," he told the news outlet.

Additionally, the father railed against the school district, alleging that "the school made my child responsible for this girl's safety by asking him to help this girl get on the bus ... they continued to put this girl's family situation in the lap of my child as if he's an adult and understands the gravity of everything."

According to the father, the girl was able to run back to the school for help, which triggered a lockdown and call to the police.

The district sent a message to parents that day that read, "After school today (10/18), there was an altercation near campus that required response from law enforcement. We were put on lockdown for a brief period of time to maintain safety and order on campus. Upon instructions from Lacey PD, the lockdown was lifted."

In response to the father's stated concerns, the district released a statement to The Olympian: We work with families, staff, and law enforcement partners to maintain safety and security on our campuses, and we take student and staff safety extremely seriously. When unique situations arise, we work with concerned parties to provide a safe learning environment, and we are doing so in this case."

"As standard practice, including in this instance, we conduct a debrief after situations relating to student safety and consider whether there are actions we can take to improve in the future."