Shadi Adi Najjar, 17, and Artem Ziberov, 18, were honor roll students preparing to graduate High School in Germantown, MD, yesterday. Instead of donning their caps and gowns, and receiving their diplomas during Northwest High’s commencement ceremony, however, their principal, Jimmy D’Andrea, asked for a moment of silence. Their classmates bowed their heads at the beginning of the graduation ceremony.
The two high school seniors were found fatally shot Monday night. Their bodies were riddled with bullets. They were pronounced dead, parked in a Honda Civic that was still running and on a cul-de-sac in suburban Montgomery Village, MD.
Residents on Gallery Court heard a barrage of gunshots and called police around 10:46 p.m. The teens lived in Germantown, which is roughly seven miles from where they were killed. Their families and friend are devastated.
High school seniors planned for future
Najjar planned to enroll at Montgomery College to study in the medical field. While in high school, he challenged himself with upper-level calculus and by taking a college philosophy course, his principal said.
On Monday night, his father, Adi Najjar, sent his son texts asking where he was and saying that he disappeared and “you don’t text.” On Tuesday, his father was cradling his phone in his hand. Najjar hugged his mother Monday night and said that he was going out to enjoy himself.
She called her husband, who was at prayers, telling him that the police were at their house and he needed to go home.
He said he had been crying all day and didn’t think he had anymore tears. Ziberov was soon off to college at the University of Maryland. He planned to study international relations. His mother, Yulia Tewelow, not wanting relatives in Moscow to miss her son’s graduation, sent them a link to a live-feed broadcast.
He had a kind spirit and a dry sense of humor, according to his principal. Ziberov would have celebrated turning 19-years-old tomorrow.
Teens went to meet friends but never made it home
On Monday, the teens were at Ziberov’s home. According to his mother, they said they were going to meet some friends. She called her son when he wasn’t home at 10 p.m.
By then, he was dead. A nearby home surveillance system captured the sound of gunfire, she said. Gordon Pipe, the resident who gave the audio to police, said it was hard to fathom what happened. He was awake Monday night at 10:30 and mistakenly thought noise that he heard was the sound of fireworks.
Excellent students who had a positive impact is how Najjar and Ziberov are being remembered. Their principal, D'Andrea, said he will deliver the teens' diplomas later this week to their parents. Counselors were at the high school yesterday helping provide students and staff members with comfort, according to school officials.
Montgomery County Crime Solvers is offering up to $10,000 for a reward for information leading to arrests related to the double-homicide. The telephone number is 1-866-411-TIPS. People can call anonymously.
Police have asked anyone with information about the shooting to come forward and contact law enforcement at 240-773-5070.
