Arlington father of 6 killed by suspects trying to break into cars, police say

ARLINGTON, Texas - An Arlington man was shot and killed by suspects breaking into cars early Tuesday morning.

Police say one of the thieves shot and killed a father of six while he was parked in front of his home.

Arlington police were called to the home on Prentice Street just after 5 a.m.

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The 36-year-old victim was found dead inside an SUV in his driveway. Friends of the victim identified him as Ali Ismail.

Police are still working to identify the men involved in the shooting. The victim was pulling into his driveway after working overnight when police say he was shot before even getting out of his vehicle. 

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Friends say Ismail, a husband and father of six, also had a seventh child on the way.

Friend Mustafa Yasiin said he just talked to Ismail Monday evening. 

"It’s a guy raising his kids. It’s a family man. A family-oriented guy," he said.

Yasiin says the two were planning on seeing each other Tuesday. Instead, Yasiin received an early morning call to come help Ismail’s wife. 

"This is sad, man," he said. "This is a hardworking guy. He had six kids. I don’t know what to tell you. This is not right."

Just after 5 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the home and found Ismail dead inside his Chevy SUV.

Video from the scene shows the passenger side window shot out with glass on the ground. Several evidence markers were also seen near the curb. 

"The victim was minding his own business and arrived home," said Arlington Police Officer Courtney White. "Ad someone started firing at him as he entered his driveway. Now, he is deceased." 

Investigators say Ismail was pulling into his driveway after working overnight when he was met with immediate gunfire. 

Police pieced together what happened after talking to neighbors and reviewing surveillance video that two men were in the area pulling on doorhandles trying to break into cars prior to the shooting. 

Arlington police say one of those men was standing on Ismail’s driveway and just started firing without saying a word. Both men then took off.

Elliot Perkins lives across the street and was up early for work when he heard gunshots.

To actually see the son and the mother go to the car and see all that, it hurts," he said.

Not long after, Perkins says he heard Ismail’s wife and children in the front yard screaming. His Ring camera caught him running outside to help. 

"Dispatch was asking us to take him out of the vehicle and lay him down," he recalled. "So I asked her to go inside and get a towel because it was raining. Then the police came around the corner."

Minutes later, first responders arrived. 

Arlington police say there has been a recent uptick in vehicle burglaries. 

On Friday, Arlington PD released photos of two men wanted for a string of vehicles burglaries in December. 

On Dec. 22, a homeowner was shot after confronting the men in his driveway. He spoke to FOX 4 on Friday.

Right now, police are not connecting the two shootings right now, but the crimes are similar and just a few miles apart. 

"Anybody knows anything, please let us know. We will put a reward out there," Yasiin said.

Officers have been canvassing the area for surveillance video. They have yet to release any images of the suspects.

One neighbor turned over a video to police showing a person in a hood sprinting down the street after the shooting.

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No arrests have been made at this time.

Ismail had moved from Wisconsin in 2008 and owned the trucking company Panda Logistics.

Arlington police are asking anyone with information to give them a call.