Salt Lake County DA Sim Gill says the police shooting of 17-year old Somali refugee Abdullahi “Abdi” Mohammed was “justified.”
Gill said two police officers correctly used potentially deadly force against Mohamed after he refused to drop a metal object he was using to assault another man outside of a homeless shelter.
Gill has asked the FBI to review the case.
Gill said the suspect — who he continued to not specifically identify, due to his juvenile status — was at the shelter selling drugs, and that the assault on the victim stemmed from a dispute that initially involved a drug purchase.
Also Monday, prosecutors filed criminal charges against Mohamed — one first-degree felony count of aggravated robbery and a second-degree count of drug possession with the intent to distribute — in juvenile court. A warrant was also issued for his arrest, court records show and hearing is set for Wednesday.
Gill said his office will seek to move the case in to adult court. If convicted in the adult system, Mohamed could face a maximum penalty of up to life in prison on the robbery charge.
