The deadly confrontation that turned a Renton strip mall parking lot into a crime scene is now under a microscope in a Kent courtroom.
Opening statements began Thursday in the trial of Aaron Brown Myers, the 51-year-old charged with fatally shooting 17-year-old Hazrat Ali Rohani outside the Big 5 Sporting Goods in Renton last June. Prosecutors told jurors that Myers fired multiple shots, killing Rohani. Defense attorneys countered that Myers believed the teens were armed and said he opened fire to protect himself and others.
In court, prosecutors walked jurors through key evidence, including surveillance footage and a trial memorandum filed in March. They say the material shows roughly 20 seconds passed between the moment Myers stepped out of his truck and his final shot. According to The Seattle Times, opening statements were delivered to a King County Superior Court jury in Kent, and the state contends Rohani was hit seven times and died at the scene.
King County prosecutors have charged Myers with second-degree murder and second-degree assault and set bail at $2 million. Court records show he has been released to electronic home monitoring. As reported by KUOW, prosecutors also highlighted a March 2022 incident in which Myers allegedly followed someone he believed had a gun and said he might have to shoot, conduct the state describes as part of a pattern of vigilante-style intervention.
Local television outlets say they have obtained surveillance video that appears to show the confrontation in the strip mall. KIRO 7 reported that footage from a nearby martial-arts studio captures Rohani walking backward with his hands raised just before he collapses. First responders later found what appeared to be a BB or airsoft pistol hidden in his clothing, and body-worn camera audio recorded an officer saying, "this is an air gun."
What prosecutors and defense will argue
Prosecutors told jurors they plan to rely on surveillance video, witness testimony and court filings to argue Myers had no lawful basis to use deadly force because the teens were complying and no real firearm was present. The defense, according to The Seattle Times, is expected to argue that Myers reasonably believed the group posed an immediate threat and that he acted to protect his child and others in the parking lot.
Legal context
Myers faces felony counts that prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt: second-degree murder and second-degree assault. Washington’s statute for murder in the second degree is outlined in RCW 9A.32.050, and any sentence would be determined under state sentencing guidelines if he is convicted.
Community reaction
The shooting has sparked calls for accountability from civil-rights organizations and Rohani’s family, who say the case underscores fears about racial profiling and vigilante behavior. CAIR-WA issued a statement urging justice for Rohani’s relatives and said it is providing support as the prosecution moves forward, according to the group’s press release.
The trial is expected to continue as jurors review witness accounts and video evidence. Myers pleaded not guilty at his arraignment and remains under court supervision. Earlier coverage documented the arraignment and pretrial schedule and noted that additional hearings are set as the case progresses, including future status dates listed in court filings by local outlets.
