A Kenyan teenager Abdi Mohamed has been shot 4 times by police in Salt Lake City, Utah. Abdi is 17 and has lived in the US for 10 years. He is currently hospitalized and in a coma. The incident happened on Saturday February 27 at 8:00 p.m.
#AbdiMohamed,16, shot by #SaltLakeCity PD last night while holding broomstick. This is why we say #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/2s7c67zaVp
— malkia a. cyril (@culturejedi) February 28, 2016
It has been reported that Abdi was fighting with another man and had a broomstick in his hands when police officers arrived. A witness, Selam Mohamed told the Washington Post that the police shot Abdi after shouting a warning “The police said, ‘Drop it,’ once, then they shot him four times. We were trying to break it up before the police even came, but the police ran in on foot and pulled their guns out already. They already had them, like, as soon as he was running he was already grabbing for his gun, not even trying to Tase him or anything.”
There were riots immediately after the shooting with people throwing rocks at the police. 4 people were arrested because of this.
Last night, @slcpd shot #AbdiMohamed, blocked off homeless shelter with riot cops. Abdi in coma. pic.twitter.com/mi9aNT9PH6
— Manor (@xManorx) February 28, 2016
The Salt Lake City police department has confirmed that two cops were involved in the shooting. They have also shared that the two had body cameras activated at the time of the shooting incident and that the video evidence had been turned over to investigators.
We pray for Abdi’s recovery.