Shooting of Abdullahi Omar Mohamed: A Criminal Law Case

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Police shooting episodes have attracted more public attention lately. This fact is supported by the tendency that such acts are often justified in court and officers are not sentenced to prison. It is noteworthy that “each year in the United States, somewhere between 900 and 1,000 people are shot and killed by police” (Ross, 2019). Thus, officers often avoid convictions or any charges, explaining their acts by fear for their life. In this case, it is extremely difficult to decide on the legality of the shooting. Abdullahi Omar Mohamed’s injury in the police episode is an example of such an incident.

The shooting occurred on February 27, 2016, in Salt Lake City, Utah near a refugee shelter. The 17-year-old Somali man was seen by the police allegedly in a conflict with another person. Mohamed had a metal bar, which he was asked to throw. Video footage of the incident shows that the police are not confident about the legality of their actions (Salt Lake City Tribune, 2017). It is noted also that Mohamed rejected the police demands and “continued to advance on the victim and was shot by officers” (Alberty, 2016). However, he survived and was under medical supervision after the incident. Two police officers Kory Checketts and Jordan Winegard were charged with the shooting. Police advocacy groups claimed that “the videos show a legally justified shooting of someone intent on violence” (Frandson & Miller, 2017). Thus, the officers were not convicted by the court, but Mohamed is facing imprisonment.