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SANDY — A 14-year-old accused of shooting a 16-year-old twice in the head during an after-school confrontation on the grounds of Union Middle School was charged Monday with attempted murder.
The teen was charged in 3rd District Juvenile Court with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, a first-degree felony; discharge of a firearm, a third-degree felony; and possession of a gun on school property, a class A misdemeanor.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill on Monday said he would seek to have the teenager certified to face the charges in adult court.
KSL has opted not to name the 14-year-old while he remains in juvenile court.
On Oct. 25, the 14-year-old and Joshua Cordova, who goes to Hillcrest High School, met on the north end of the Union Middle School grounds, 615 E. 8000 South, just as class was letting out for the day. The two had arranged to fight after school, according to charging documents.
A Union Middle School teacher who was outside when the incident occurred told detectives she saw Cordova walking toward the 14-year-old "with his hands up and realized there was a fighting scenario," the charges state.
Cordova "walked up to him and said, 'Let's just do this right now,' and (the teen) pulled out the gun and pulled the trigger," the defendant told investigators, according to charging documents. "(The teen) also admitted that he had told (Cordova) that he would reunite him with his mother, who had passed away."
The 14-year-old later told investigators that he brought a gun to the fight because "he was afraid J.C. would do something so he decided to grab his mom's gun," according to charging documents. "(The teen) stated that he was just going to point the gun at him and hopefully he'd get scared."
Gill said that based on the evidence that has been collected, this was a case of attempted murder and not self-defense.
The teen allegedly shot Cordova in the head, and then shot him again after he fell to the ground, according to witnesses. The teacher who was outside the school when the shooting happened told detectives at least three shots were fired, and the teen attempted to fire a fourth round but the gun jammed, charges state.
Prior to the shooting, the teen showed at least two juveniles the gun in his backpack, according to charging documents. Sandy police had previously stated that two students found out about the gun right before the shooting and did not have time to report it to school administrators or police. One of those juveniles was also reportedly told by the teen the day before not to go to school that day, charges state.
Sandy police released a statement Monday saying the victim's condition has been steadily improving and that he's stable.
Police stated previously that the boys had an ongoing conflict and agreed to meet after school. Police have not named the gunman or the victim, but numerous posts on social media have identified the injured teen as Cordova.
The alleged gunman collapsed to the ground and cried after the shooting, according to witnesses. When Sandy police arrived at the school and asked where the shooter was, "a male on the ground stated, 'I am,'" according to the charges.
One bullet appeared to enter Cordova's head on his right side above his ear, charging documents state, and exit the top of his head. A second shot appeared to have entered on the left side of Cordova's neck, just below his ear, and exit his right cheek, the charges state.
On Oct. 26, Cordova, who has had more than one surgery since the incident, was back in surgery because bone fragments were detected by doctors near his brain, according to charging documents.
The teen has no prior history in juvenile court, according to a spokesman for Utah State Courts. An initial hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
