Calgary teen convicted of murder in 2022 shooting of Jal Acor Jal

The family of Jal Acor Jal hopes justice will be served to the man who killed him in 2022.

A Calgary teen who shot and killed another boy three years ago has been found guilty of second-degree murder.

Identified only as T.K., the convicted killer was 15 years old when he met his victim, 16-year-old Jal Acor Jal, at the Crowfoot LRT station on March 31, 2022.

From there, the boys walked together toward a city electrical sub-station, where T.K. shot Jal in the back of the head.

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T.K. claimed during court proceedings that the shooting occurred as result of an accident, saying Jal shot himself with the semi-automatic rifle the accused brought with him to the meeting.

He claimed the pair struggled over the weapon moments before it went off.

Justice P.R. Jeffrey of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench on Monday disputed T.K.’s claim, saying his retelling of events was “impossible” to believe.

He said the accused’s Chiappa M1-9 rifle required too much force – about 8.3 pounds of pressure – to pull the trigger accidentally.

“The firearm was subjected to over 30 different tests in an attempt to cause it to discharge without the trigger being pulled and it would not. Those tests included such things as dropping it from various heights and forcefully hitting it with a mallet – none of which cause the firearm to discharge without the trigger being pulled.”

Jeffrey also said the evidence proves the gun was pressed against Jal’s head when it fired.

“I have no doubt in finding it was impossible for (Jal) to have held the firearm in that position and pulled the trigger himself. Even if it were anatomically possible for someone to reach back two feet almost straight behind their head to pull a trigger, holding an object of that weight in that position, with the muzzle tight up to their head, underscores the impossibility of (Jal) intentionally shooting himself in these circumstances.”

‘We’re not the same’

The maximum youth sentence for second-degree murder is seven years, but prosecutors say they will seek an adult sentence for T.K.

Echan Jal, the victim’s aunt, was in court on Monday for the verdict. She told CTV News the family is happy with the verdict.

“We’re never going to see Jal again. We’re never going to hear his voice. We’re never going to be around his positive energy. We’re all separated; we’re not the same,” Echan Jal said.

The family hopes T.K.’s sentence satisfies the justice they believe needs to be done.

“We’re never going to see Jal again so you shouldn’t have the right to see your family as well.”

Echan Jal says Jal was energetic, kind and a cool kid.

“He was into basketball and football and was on the high school football team,” adding that she wanted to help him with his dreams to play sports in the United States.

A sentencing date will be set on June 13.