Three guilty of shooting and paralysing 13-year-old boy in Birmingham

Three people have been found guilty of shooting and paralysing a 13-year-old boy in Birmingham.

Zidann Edwards and Diago Anderson, both 20, alongside a 17-year-old – who can't be named for legal reasons – were all convicted of attempted murder on Tuesday (2 August) following a six-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court. 

In November last year, the boy had been in the city with his friends and were on their way to get food when he was attacked.

They were chased into the underpass at Hockley Circus and the boy was shot in the back by a home-made shotgun, which has left him paralysed. Despite his injuries, the boy managed to call 999 to tell the ambulance service he’d been injured. 

West Midlands Police later found CCTV evidence which showed a car travelling along the A41 before stopping and Edwards, Anderson and the 17-year-old getting out.

It showed Edwards, Anderson and the 17-year-old boy running from the scene and driving off.

Officers later recovered the car they were in and further examinations linked them to the car.

The police also recovered a handgun and a slam gun from an address linked to the 17-year-old and further examination helped to prove this was the weapon used in the incident.

The 17-year-old was also convicted of possession of a prohibited weapon.

They will be sentenced on 7 October, 2022. 

Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell, from Force CID, said: “The unprovoked and callous actions of Zidann Edwards, Diago Anderson and the 17-year-old boy, changed the life of an innocent 13-year-old boy and his family forever. 

“The impact of their actions are truly heart breaking and my thoughts remain with the boy, his family and friends. 

“Our primary focus is always to prevent these incidents from happening, but sadly we do continue to see gun violence on our streets. We need our communities to come together to help us in our fight against gun and gang related crime.”