- Raoul Bedoang, 18, pleaded guilty to murder in a May 30 drive-by shooting that injured multiple others.
- The plea deal dismissed 17 additional felony charges, for discharge of a firearm and retaliation against a witness.
- His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29; he could spend at least 20 years and up to life in prison.
SALT LAKE CITY — A teenager admitted to shooting and killing a 21-year-old man near the Murray North TRAX station, pleading guilty to two felonies as part of a plea deal that dismissed 17 additional felony charges.
In his plea statement, Raoul Bedoang, 18, admitted to acting with "depraved indifference to human life" and shooting in the direction of another person, killing one person and paralyzing another.
In a May 30, 2024, drive-by shooting at the intersection of Fireclay Avenue and Birkhill Boulevard, Abdiaziz Abdirahman, 21, was shot multiple times and later died at a local hospital from his injuries.
A 14-year-old boy was shot in the back, causing paralysis, a16-year-old boy was shot in the hand, and a fourth victim suffered a "minor shrapnel wound to the back," charges said.
Bedoang, a documented gang member, pleaded guilty to murder and felony discharge of a firearm, both first-degree felonies, on Wednesday in a plea deal that dismissed 16 additional counts of felony discharge of a firearm — three first-degree felonies, one second-degree felony and 12 third-degree felonies — and retaliation against a witness or victim, a third-degree felony.
Charges said each of the victims belonged to the same street gang. They said investigators identified a Chrysler passing the victims about 7 p.m. on the day of the shooting, turning and passing by one more time as individuals on the street dropped to the ground or moved away.
Investigators located the owner of the car, who claimed Bedoang wanted to find the group of people who he said were looking for him to "play basketball with him," but when they found them, he rolled down his window and fired.
Bedoang is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 29. As part of the plea deal, attorneys agreed to recommend consecutive prison sentences, and that Bedoang, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, remain in the custody of the juvenile justice system as long as allowed before he is transferred to the Utah State Prison.
Based on Utah statute, his sentence for murder will be 15 years to life in prison; for discharge of a firearm, the sentence will be five years to life in prison. That means if the judge follows what is recommended, he will spend at least 20 years and possibly the rest of his life in custody.
