Woman charged in connection with murder of 19-year-old student Aya Hachem in Blackburn

Aya Hachem was the victim of a drive-by shooting. Credit: Lancashire Police

Detectives investigating the drive-by shooting of a Blackburn student have charged a woman in connection with their murder investigation.Aya Hachem, 19, was walking to the shop to buy food for her family to eat when they broke their Ramadan fast when she was mistakenly shot dead in May 2020.Eight people were jailed in November 2021 for their involvement in her death.Lancashire Police confirmed Zahraa Satia has been charged with doing an act tending and intended to pervert course of public justice on May 19, 2020.The 26-year-old was arrested at her home address in Oxford Close, Blackburn, on Wednesday 2 February.

She has been bailed to appear before Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on February 24.Last week, two men were arrested and charged with Aya's murder and the attempted murder of Pacha Khan.Lewis Otway, 41, of Clitheroe Road, Manchester and Suhayl Suleman, 37, of Shear Brow, Blackburn are due to stand trial in October.

Law student Aya was killed when she was struck by a stray bullet shot on May 17, 2020, as she walked by Quick Shine Car Wash on King Street. The bullet went through her body and was embedded in a telegraph pole.

A gun can be seen pointed from the back window of the Avensis moments before the shots were fired. Credit: Lancashire Police

She had been walking to buy food for her family to eat when they broke their Ramadan fast that evening.

Eight people were last year jailed for a total of more than 200 years following a trial for their involvement in the murder of Aya and the attempted murder of Pacha Khan, the intended target of the shooting.

Aya Hachem was a law student. Credit: Lancashire Police

  • Who was Aya Hachem?

Aya was the second of four children, daughter of Samar Salame and Ismail Hachem.

She had two brothers and a sister. She'd excelled in her studies at Salford University, and before that at Blackburn Central High School.

Aya had dreamed of becoming a solicitor. She had just completed her exams and was learning to drive.

She was also passionate about charity work, and was one of the youngest trustees of charity ‘The Children’s Society’.

Her family fled Lebanon when she was a child and settled in Blackburn. She had lived there since.