‘Cowards’ caught on CCTV after shooting that left boy, 13, paralysed are jailed

Teenager is paraplegic after pellet passed through spinal cord in attack, court heard

A teenager and two men caught on CCTV fleeing a shooting where a 13-year-old boy was left paralysed have been jailed.

Zidann Edwards and Diago Anderson, both 20, and 17-year-old Tafique Thomas were sent to prison for attempted murder the schoolboy was gunned down.

CCTV captured the trio running as they emerged from an underpass where the boy was attacked in Birmingham last year. The long barrel of a home made “slam gun” was visible in the footage.

CCTV shows the trio running away from the scene of the attack (West Midlands Police)

The three offenders were seen jumping into a black car parked by the Hockley Circus roundabout.

The victim and his friends were on their way to get food when he was attacked in the underpass on 18 November last year.

A court heard the teenager was shot because he crossed into the territory of a gang called “Armed Response”.

Following the attack, Edwards made a drill rap music video expressing his regret he had failed to kill the young boy.

The victim managed to call 999 despite his injuries to tell the ambulance service he had been shot.

The trio were seen jumping into a car after the attack (West Midlands Police)

Firearms officers provided life-saving first aid before paramedics arrived and the youngster was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

The court heard the boy has been left paraplegic as a result of one of the pellets passing through his spinal cord.

CCTV revealed a stolen Nissan screeching up alongside the teenage victim before Edwards, Anderson and Thomas got out of the car.

Officers also recovered a handgun and a slam gun from an address linked to Thomas (West Midlands Police)

The victim and his friends were then chased into the underpass before the teenager was shot in the back with a home-made shotgun, known as a slam gun.

Officers arrested them and recovered more evidence, including the clothing they wore on the day of the shooting along with several phones.

Diago Anderson was locked up for a minimum of 18 years (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

Police recovered a handgun and a slam gun from an address linked to Thomas and further examination helped prove this was the weapon used in the attack.

All three were convicted of attempted murder at Birmingham Crown Court in August and were jailed for life on Friday.

Zidann Edwards was jailed for a minimum of 17 years (West Midlands Police / SWNS)

Thomas, who can now be identified after reporting restrictions were lifted, was also found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Edwards was jailed for a minimum of 17 years, Anderson for a minimum of 18 years and Thomas for a minimum of 16 years and eight months.

Following the case, the mother of the paralysed teen said: “These cowards didn’t even ask my son a simple question, they just ran him down and shot my 13-year-old in his back, like he was nothing.

“But my son is strong, strong like a lion and no weapon formed against him will ever prosper.”

Tafique Thomas has also been put behind bars (West Midlands Police )

Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell from West Midlands Police CID said: “The unprovoked and callous actions these three young men has changed the life of an innocent boy forever.

“The events of that evening are simply heartbreaking - it did not need to happen and I am deeply saddened by the fear the young boy must have felt before being so seriously injured.

“Gun crime is so damaging, there are never any winners. I hope the outcome today sends a really clear message to anyone engaging in gang or gun crime. It’s a serious offence for which you will be punished.

“While no sentence can ever change the tragic events of that day, I hope that it provides some comfort to the boy and his family as they continue to rebuild their lives.”

SWNS