OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Four boys will be charged. One of the boys charged, just 11-years old, following a Tuesday night homicide in Northwest Omaha.
Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine calls the murder of 64-year-old Mursal Jama shocking and very disturbing. Authorities say Jama came home from his job as an Uber driver and was carjacked. They said one of the four juveniles shot him in the stomach, killing him.
"It's terrible. It's very disturbing," said Kleine. "We all have kids; grandkids for me that are close to that age. You can't imagine them being involved in something like this."
KMTV learned that, according to authorities, the killing was part of a larger crime spree. Kleine said he believes the same people involved in the homicide attempted to carjack someone in West Omaha.
After Jama was shot, multiple law enforcement agencies responded to a pursuit of a black Kia that had been taken from the shooting. Investigators said it was a multi-county pursuit that went from a Nebraska City gun shop and ended in south central Omaha.
The Nebraska City Police Department told KMTV that same gun shop had been burglarized a day prior, and they believe that the juveniles had been involved in the burglary.
Kleine said he'll charge two of the boys, a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old, as adults. The other two are even younger, just 11 and 13. They’ll be tried as juveniles. Nebraska law prohibits people under the age of 14 from being charged as adults.
"We tried to get that law changed. It's not because we want to send an 11-year-old or a 13-year-old to prison. It's because we want there to be some significant consequence," he said.
Police are also asking questions about accountability. Omaha Police Association President Patrick Dempsey told KMTV that he believes juvenile crime has been on the rise over the years.
"How long is it going to be before we address this core issue of these violent juveniles in our communities before it happens to someone you know and love," said Dempsey.
Kleine said it's possible that two more people may face charges due to their alleged involvement in the homicide.
The two boys charged as adults will appear in court, Friday at 9 a.m.
