SALT LAKE CITY – The case involving a teen who was shot and critically injured by police outside a homeless shelter has been closed.
Judge Julie Lund released Abdi Mohamed from the juvenile justice court system and fined him $500.
As part of the plea deal, the 19-year-old admitted to allegations of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and drug possession with intent to distribute. Both are third-degree felonies.
He was originally charged with robbery and drug possession charges.
Both sides agreed this wasn’t the perfect case, but said they were willing to work together to give Mohamed a second chance. Mohamed emerged from Matheson Courthouse Friday morning with nothing to say on camera. But, off camera, he expressed a sense of relief.
“Abdi is glad that this ordeal of his has come to an end,” said Sam Pappas, Utah Juvenile Defender Attorney.
Pappas says Mohamed has been depressed since he’s been confined to a wheelchair. His injuries stem from a shooting in February 2016 outside the homeless shelter in Salt Lake City.
Police say they were forced to shoot the then 17-year-old because he refused to stop beating a man with a metal broom handle.
Prosecutors pushed for the case to be sent to adult court, since Mohamed was almost 18 at the time and because of the seriousness of his crimes, but the judge kept the case in juvenile court.
“There were comments during the meeting that he was not availing himself of services that had been made available, I’ll just say this is a very difficult thing,” Pappas said.
The judge encouraged Mohamed to continue taking his medication and attend substance abuse treatment.
“I'm pleased that we were able to get his custody with the state terminated, and hopefully moving forward with support from family and the refugee center and others, that he'll be able to better engage in treatment and be able to move forward in his life,” Pappas said.
