In a tragic turn of events on a late September morning in Phoenix, Arizona, a domestic dispute ended in the death of 43-year-old Syeda Sohaly Akter. The woman, of Bangladeshi origin, was fatally shot by her husband in what police have described as a murder-suicide.
Earlier that Sunday, on September 27, 2020, Akter had called Phoenix police to her home near 40th Avenue and Baseline Road.
She reported a verbal argument with her 52-year-old husband, Abul Ahsan Habib, and expressed that she wanted him to move out of their residence. By the time officers arrived at the scene around 9:26 a.m., Habib had already left. The responding officers spoke with Akter and her adult son, providing her with information on how to obtain an order of protection and advising her to call them if Habib returned.
Tragically, shortly after the police and her son departed, Habib came back to the house. At approximately 9:51 a.m., Akter made a second frantic call to 911 to report his return. While she was on the phone with the dispatcher, the operator heard the sound of gunshots, and the line went silent.
When officers rushed back to the home, they discovered a devastating scene. Both Syeda Sohaly Akter and Abul Ahsan Habib were found inside, each with fatal gunshot wounds. A gun was recovered at the scene, leading investigators to believe that Habib shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. Family members in Bangladesh later revealed that the couple, who had been married for 29 years and had two sons, had a history of arguments. It was also reported that Habib had been dealing with health issues.
