DEARBORN, Mich. – Ali Aljanabi's sister was taken from their family Friday as she pulled up to their home. Saja Aljanabi, a 29-year-old waitress, was shot to death during a robbery.
Police took three teenagers into custody Saturday night. The family said Aljanabi would have considered the 13-year-old, a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old boys children.
UPDATE: Boys, ages 13, 14, 17, charged with murder
"She would give them whatever they want and extra to prevent them from doing what they were doing," Ali Aljanabi said.
Saja Aljanabi was shot Sept. 6 in front of her family's home near the intersection of Tireman Avenue and Bingham Street.
Dearborn police said they believe her death is connected to two other armed robberies that occurred around the same time. In one of them, a person was robbed at gunpoint about a mile away from the home. The other incident happened a few blocks away.
Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to offer more details on the incident.
"This was a random act of violence by three people who have committed similar crimes across the region. (Aljanabi) was an innocent victim," Haddad said. "If I were in that car, or you were in that car, the same thing would have happened."
Sources told Local 4 the three teenagers were pursued by police Saturday night when they crashed their vehicle. Two of the three were taken into custody.
Investigators were able to track the 14-year-old due to a court-ordered tether that placed him at the scene of the crime. He was taken into custody Monday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Dearborn Police Department at 313-943-2240.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help pay Aljanabi's funeral costs. You can donate here.
The Dearborn Police Department's full press conference can be seen below.