An Atlantic City man who fired shots that disrupted an outdoor middle school graduation is temporarily out of jail.
Azir Abdullah, now 21, pleaded guilty to attempted murder Thursday and was released pending sentencing.
Under the plea agreement, Abdullah faces five years in prison with no parole for 85 percent under the No Early Release Act. He could have faced 20 years under that charge.
Abdullah was released on an ankle monitor, according to jail records. It’s not the first time he was put on electronic monitoring.
At the time of his arrest in 2020, the then-19-year-old was serving a suspended sentence for a drug case and escape, after he cut off his bracelet while on electronic monitoring, according to information provided at his detention hearing at that time.
The shooting disrupted the graduation ceremony at Sovereign Avenue School that morning.
Video a parent provided to BreakingAC captured the sound of 17 gunshots.
“I hope they’re firecrackers,” one person is heard saying.
Several seconds later someone says, “Those were gunshots.”
Officer Daniel Kramer happened to be stopped at a light at Sovereign and Arctic avenues when he heard the gunfire.
He then saw two speeding vehicles turn off the first block of North Sovereign Avenue and onto Montpelier.
“It was crazy,” one parent said. “The cops started chasing the car up Montpelier toward the bay.”
Kramer began following, as it appeared a Dodge Charger driven by Abdullah was chasing the vehicle in front of him, according to the report.
Abdullah fired several shots at the vehicle in front of him, according to Kramer.
A car was sideswiped a car on Fairmount Avenue. The chase continued onto Albany Avenue and Route 40.
The other vehicle turned down West End Avenue toward Ventnor, but the officer continued after Abdullah onto the Atlantic City Expressway, where Abdullah lost control and crashed, according to the report.
Abdullah fled the vehicle, dropping his handgun, and then picking it up before running into the wooded area.
After several law enforcement agencies helped in setting up a perimeter, Abdullah was found in the dense brush and taken into custody. A handgun magazine was found during a search of the area.
He noted Abdullah’s juvenile record includes assault, gun possession, receiving stolen property, and drug offenses.
"It was crazy. The cops started chasing the car up Montpelier…" https://t.co/ossmwfOyEi
— BreakingAC (@BreakingAC) June 19, 2020
