On May 17, 2024, 31-year-old Lyft driver Shawali Sherali was fatally shot in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Afghanistan, Sherali had relocated to North Texas in 2021 with his family to escape the Taliban. He was a husband and father of two, with a third child on the way.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Sherali picked up a passenger, later identified as 35-year-old Michael Walker, around 11:20 a.m. on May 17.
Approximately 15 minutes later, officers responded to reports of a silver Camry crashing into a fence near Sandy Lane and Brentwood Stair Road. Witnesses observed a man, matching Walker's description, pulling an injured person from the driver's seat before driving away in the vehicle. The car was later found abandoned in the apartment complex's parking lot.
Dash camera footage from Sherali's vehicle revealed that Walker, seated in the backseat, shot Sherali multiple times from behind. After the shooting, Walker is seen exiting the vehicle and making incriminating statements. On May 18, police arrested Walker in east Fort Worth; he was found urinating in public and in possession of a handgun matching the caliber used in the murder. Walker, who has a criminal history including assault and drug possession, was charged with capital murder.
Sherali's tragic death has left his family devastated. His brother, Noorali Noor, expressed profound grief, noting that they had sought safety in the United States only to face this unforeseen tragedy. A GoFundMe campaign was established to assist Sherali's family with funeral expenses and future needs.
