Police: Iraqi Immigrant Shot Dead While Taking Photos of His First Snow

Dallas police are investigating the shooting death of a 36-year-old man early Thursday who had stepped outside of his apartment with his family to take photos of the snow before being gunned down.

According to police, Ahmed Al-Jumaili had recently immigrated to America from Iraq. It was reportedly his first time experiencing snow fall.

“Just like all of us, a pretty snowfall brings the child out in us,” a Dallas PD spokesperson told CNN.

Police say the shooting happened just after midnight Thursday.

KDFW reports that the suspects are believed to be a group of teenage boys who took off running. Witnesses told police that one of them started firing shots without warning.

Al-Jumaili called out “I’m hit!” during the shooting, according to CNN. He was taken to a hospital but soon died. Police said there was no interaction between Al-Jumaili’s family and the shooters.

Witnesses told the Dallas Morning News they heard about seven gunshots – and that this isn’t the first time gunshots have been heard at the complex.

Police told the paper they are not excluding the possibility of a hate crime. But Al-Jumaili’s father-in-law told KDFW, “They’re only kids. Maybe they were playing with themselves with guns or shooting at each other.”

Police have released surveillance video from the shooting and CrimeStoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

According to a memorial fundraising page set up in Al-Juamili’s name, he and his wife, Zahara, had married only 16 months ago, before she decided to move to America to reunite relatives, for her safety.

“It is heartbreaking to know that Zahara won’t get to experience life’s milestones with her Ahmed,” the site said.