Shaquille Blake shot Demehl Thomas at a bar. He fled to Dubai, but was caught and convicted for attempted murder.
Blake, who is 30, then went to Dubai. He came back and police arrested him in Birmingham last year. He said he didn’t try to kill Thomas, but a jury found him guilty.
Blake is from Edgbaston, and his sentencing is on Thursday, February 13. He first denied being involved. Later, he admitted to lesser charges, including causing harm and firearm possession.
Blake wore an orange cap and jacket that night. After the shooting, he stomped on Thomas, who was on the floor by the entrance. The trial focused on Blake’s intent, what he wanted to do.
The prosecutor said Blake wasn’t taking responsibility. He said the shooting wasn’t an accident, but a deliberate act to kill or seriously harm. Shooting someone like that has consequences.
Thomas did not help the police. They learned about the shooting later, after he went to the hospital. Nobody at MJ’s reported the incident themselves.
The bullet hit Thomas’s spine. A surgeon told doctors to leave it in, because removing it could be dangerous. The surgery was not done to prevent further injury.
Police arrested Blake after a traffic stop in Ladywood. He had gone to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Later he flew to Dubai from Ireland on August 19, 2023.