'Extremely frightening': Man aimed gun through date's window after she rejected him, cops say

PHOENIX - A single date spiraled into a terrifying days-long campaign of terror for a Phoenix family after a 22-year-old man allegedly tracked a woman to her home, pointed a gun through her window and threatened to execute her entire family, according to authorities.

What we know:

Zakariya Al Omar, 22, was arrested Monday night on stalking, aggravated assault and narcotic drug charges.

According to a probable cause statement, the incident began on June 11 after Al Omar went on a date with a woman who later told him she was no longer interested because he had lied to his friends about her ethnicity. Police say Al Omar became upset and began messaging every male on the woman’s Instagram followers list, before showing up uninvited to a party she attended to monitor her.

Timeline:

Investigators allege the harassment escalated into physical surveillance between June 12 and June 15, during which Al Omar allegedly lurked outside the victim’s apartment complex. The victim’s father reported seeing Al Omar sleeping in a silver Ford Explorer in the parking lot.

Al Omar also allegedly walked around the complex until he identified the victim's bedroom window by looking for specific blue lights.

On June 13, the victim’s 15-year-old sister noticed a flashlight shining through the bedroom window and spotted a man in a white hoodie standing in the fenced backyard. Court documents say Al Omar sent messages to the victim at that exact time, boasting that he had found her window and was shining his gun into the room. He allegedly sent audio recordings and text messages threatening to shoot and kill the victim, her friends and her family, even initiating a countdown.

The situation came to an end on June 15, when police say Al Omar followed two of the victim's friends as they left the apartment complex. The friends called 911, and responding Phoenix police officers intercepted Al Omar's vehicle one street away. Just before the traffic stop, Al Omar had sent the victim photos of himself holding two handguns with extended magazines, along with an audio message stating he was not afraid to kill her.

During a search of the car, officers found white powder in the center console. Al Omar reportedly told police the substance was "powder from Starbucks," but later testing by a field officer confirmed it was cocaine. Al Omar claimed he had already sold the guns and only sent the pictures to "mess with her," according to the police report.

What's next:

A Maricopa County Superior Court judge set his bond at $150,000, calling the defendant's rapid "level of obsession" over the span of four days "extremely frightening."

Should Al Omar posts the $150,000 bond, he will be subject to strict electronic monitoring, a curfew and a total ban on contacting the victim or possessing weapons.

Al Omar is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 25.

Crime and Public SafetyNewsPhoenix