Abdul Latif Al-Asheikh, president of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the Haia), has assured the relatives of the victims of an accident involving members of his organization that he would not interfere in investigations.

“We stand by the victims’ family and will not appoint a defense lawyer for the Haia members, who reportedly caused the fatal accident on Tuesday,” Al-Asheikh told the bereaved family during a visit to their house in the Al-Nahda district in Riyadh on Saturday.

“Like you, we are also deeply pained by the calamity that has occurred,” he said while offering his condolences to the father of 24-year-old Nasser Al-Otaibi.

Two Haia members allegedly chased a vehicle and caused it to overturn, resulting in the death of Nasser and near fatal brain injury to his brother Saud, said a policeman in Riyadh.

The two Haia members reportedly fled the scene but were later arrested.

News of the crash went viral when a witness first uploaded a video of the car chase on his Twitter account with the hashtag “The commission killed two men on National Day.”

“The Haia chief apologized to our father for the transgressions committed by members of his organization. The sheikh said the suspects did not act on behalf of the Haia but acted on their own,” said Saad Al-Qaus, the brother of the victims.

Saad added that the Haia chief told his father that he felt like a victim himself and shared the family’s grief, assuring him that the perpetrators should be held fully responsible.

He said the sheikh also affirmed that the Haia would not interfere in investigations.

Local media said Saud was in critical condition with few little chance of recovery.

The Riyadh governorate ordered the establishment of a committee to investigate the circumstances that led to the accident and the precise role of the Haia members in causing the death, a local daily reported. The committee comprises governorate officials, members of the local traffic department, police and the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.

Riyadh Deputy Gov. Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz also met with relatives of the victims and offered his condolences.