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Gene Kennedy reportingA family feud turned into a fatal stabbing in Murray yesterday. Now, a native Afghani is in jail on suspicion of murder.
Murray police say there was an ongoing conflict between two families from Afghanistan. Investigators aren't sure what it was over, but neighbors described yesterday's brawl as a small-scale riot. Now police believe they have the man who allegedly killed a 19-year-old.
Overnight, Murray police arrested 26-year-old Nazir Rahimi. He's now in jail. "Through the investigation, witnesses and people who came forward, it became apparent he was probably the person responsible," said Detective Jeff Manglish, with the Murray Police Department.
But he was certainly not the only one involved in yesterday's street fight. Witnesses saw 10 to 20 people from two families fighting. Some had knives and boards. "I looked out my front door and saw a man laying on the ground, and then I saw another man with a board. He started waving the board and hitting someone with the board, and at the point, I called 911," said neighbor Jill Hansen.
"I know there was some sort of conflict between the two families that has been ongoing, and this is when it finally boiled over," Manglish said.
The victim came from West Valley City. It's the suspect and his family who live on this street in Murray.
Police arrested Nazir Rahimi at his home without incident. Neighbors say, typically, there are half a dozen cars parked in front of the house. But today, nobody answered the door.
"I saw them packing up their trunks," neighbor Kimberly Hughes said. "They could have moved out overnight or [are] trying to be somewhere safe."
Neighbors say the family moved into this rental property less than six months ago. They describe the property as a source of problems for several years and hope the landlord will sell it after yesterday's fatal brawl. "It's unsettling. I mean, this is our home, this is where we want to make our home," Hughes said.
The victim was 19-year-old Farhad Mullahknel. There was another person taken to the hospital after the fight. We're not sure about that person's condition.
E-mail: gkennedy@ksl.com
