White man avoids arrest after shooting dead Moroccan immigrant

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The family of a Moroccan man who was fatally shot in Texas have appealed for more information after a white man avoided arrest.

Police in Caldwell County, Texas, said 31-year-old Adil Dghoughi had been driving through Martindale on 11 October when he was fatally shot. The neighbourhood is roughly 40 miles south of Austin.

The shooter, a homeowner identified as 65-year-old Terry Turner, allegedly fired at Mr Dghoughi, who had parked outside his home, and whom he claimed was “suspicious”.

No further information has been released by Caldwell County’s Sheriff’s Office, whom The Independent has approached for further comment.

His brother, Othmane, told KXAN that Mr Dghoughi had been stopped by police when he was shot at, although it remains unclear.

He said his brother, a graduate of Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island, New York, “was no harm to anybody” and had been driving home to Austin when he was shot.

Reports suggest he was lost on his way home.

“There is zero percent chance why he would hurt somebody,” said Mr Dghoughi. “The car was closed, he was inside the car, he was no harm to nobody”.

According to The Daily Beast, police said Mr Turner was being “cooperative” and had not been arrested, despite a search warrant being issued.

Mr Turner was also reportedly classed as a murder suspect.

“It was an unnecessary act of violence for someone who would never hurt anybody,” said his wife, Amy Fagnant, who has separated from Mr Dghoudi. “We know nothing.”

Faizan Syed, an executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations(CAIR)-Austin, said in a statement that Mr Dghioughi was the victim of so-called “stand your ground laws”, which are particularly strong in Texas.

“We call for an independent and transparent investigation into the killing of Mr Dghoughi, who was unarmed and in his car when shot.”

His family have organised a GoFundMe page to cover funeral expenses, as well as a lawyer “to ensure justice is served for Adil and his family.”

Mr Dghoughi, who studied financial analysis, migrated to the US in 2013.