AKRON, Ohio — A man who killed an Akron drive-thru worker with a rifle pleaded guilty to murder and felonious assault and learned his punishment Tuesday afternoon.
Judge Joy Joy Malek Oldfield sentenced Da'Quan Isaac, 27, to 18 years to life in prison for killing 21-year-old Ahmad Alibrahim.
Family members told News 5 that Alibrahim was kind and caring. He loved soccer and was engaged at the time of the murder.
Through a translator, the victim's father, Turki Alibrahim said his family came to the U.S. in 2017 from Syria for a chance at a better life, only to lose his son to murder in Akron.
"We came here, came to America for peace. We ran away from a war-torn country to find peace here," he said.
RELATED: 21-year-old worker shot and killed at Borders Drive Thru in Akron
The victim worked at Borders Drive Thru on South Arlington Street. The deadly shooting at the business happened in December 2023.
According to police, Isaac walked up to the window of the carryout to buy a single Black and Mild cigar when a dispute broke out over the condition of the money Isaac was trying to give the clerk.
Police said the money had blood on it, and Alibrahim refused to take it.
Following a brief argument, Isaac fired shots through the drive-through window, striking Alibrahim in the neck. He died at the scene.
His mother, Absiyah Alhassan, talked about her heartache while addressing Isaac.
"He broke my heart and I'm not forgiving him and I wish nobody forgives him," she said.
Isaac apologized to the family, but never explained why he committed the murder, calling it "a terrible night for me."
He also told the court that he had an older brother who was murdered.
"I apologize to the family. It was a senseless act, unjustified, inexcusable," Isaac said. "The way my brother was taken away, I told myself I would never do that to another human being, and it turns out that I turned around and did the same thing."
