Jordanian man killed in Washington had relocated to the US for a 'better life'

A Jordanian citizen has been identified as a victim of a double homicide that recently took place in Washington, DC.

The man, Hamza Jamil Zaki Abo Halaoh, 32, had been working as a ride-for-hire driver when he - along with another man in the car - was fatally shot in a car, which crashed, injuring a third person who survived.

The incident occurred near Capitol Hill Sunday evening, although the identity of Abo Halaoh was only confirmed by the Jordanian embassy later this week.

As of Thursday afternoon the suspect had not been caught. Police believe the SUV he was driving was targeted, though they do not believe Abo Haloah was the target and he did not know his passengers. Friends and family believe he was simply caught in the crossfire.

Abo Haloah had reportedly relocated to the United States from an impoverished neighhourhood in Jordan to make a better life for himself. His wife and twin toddlers were planning to join him in the US 10 days after the incident.

"Most of us had a dream to travel to the United States for the freedom," said Mahmoud Kamal Abu Halawa, his cousin, according to The Washington Post. "But the American Dream now is that you’re not safe, that you could be killed and not know why."