Dallas teen arrested in shooting of Iraqi immigrant watching his first snowfall

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A 17-year-old male fatally shot an Iraqi man watching his first snowfall in his new American hometown, targeting him and then continuing to fire as the immigrant rushed to get inside, Dallas police said Friday.

Authorities don’t believe the suspected shooter knew the victim, Ahmed Al-Jumaili, Dallas Police Maj. Jeff Cotner said reporters, nor do they believe he knew Al-Jumaili’s ethnicity.

And they haven’t given any indication Al-Jumaili had anything to do with what led the teen to head out armed in the first place — a purported shooting at his girlfriend’s apartment, if that in fact happened. Cotner said that, while there have nearby shootings that might be tied to gangs, “we (have been) unable to substantiate … whether or not there was an actual shooting at the apartment.”

What police do believe, based on witness testimony and other evidence, is that the teenager shot and killed Al-Jumaili, for whatever reason.

“When he saw Mr. Al-Jumaili and their family, he targeted them, he shot at them with intent,” Cotner said of the suspect, who is under arrest. “And as Mr. Al-Jumaili ran back toward his apartment, he tracked him with his rifle and continued to fire.”

Dallas police named the suspected shooter, though CNN is not identifying him yet since he’s a minor and it’s not clear if he’ll be charged as an adult. The teen turns 18 in May, police said. /End/