Two 18-year-olds charged for robbery that ended with shooting death in Kearns High School parking lot
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
KEARNS, Utah () — The two 18-year-olds in the Kearns High School parking lot that left a 17-year-old dead have been charged.
Brandon Ray Hollins, 18, was arrested days after the shooting and faced a murder charge. However, now that charges have officially been filed, the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office did not charge him with murder. He is instead charged with two counts of felony aggravated robbery, one count of felony discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury, and one count of capital felony obstruction of justice.
Tesfaye Mebratu Shabi, 18, was also initially arrested on a murder and aggravated robbery charge. The DA also declined to file a murder charge against Shabi. He has been charged with two counts of felony aggravated robbery, one count of capital felony obstruction of justice, and one count of felony discharge of a firearm.
The Unified Police Department previously told ABC4 that the adult man who fatally shot the 17-year-old victim did so in self-defense and will not be facing any charges connected to his death.
PREVIOUSLY: Teen arrested for murder at Kearns High School parking lot
According to documents, police involvement began one month earlier than . On April 16, 2025, officers were called to Granite Credit Union in Millcreek on reports of shots fired. Shell casings were located nearby.
Later that night, a then 17-year-old — a different 17-year-old than the one later killed in the shooting at the high school, who we will refer to as a survivor for clarity — was taken to St. Marks Hospital and appeared to be dropped off by two strangers in a white van. The officer who watched surveillance video saw him crawl out of the sedan and onto the ground, and he had a 'gunshot wound to his left leg.'
The 17-year-old survivor told police that he and his friends, Hollins and Shabi, had used Snapchat to meet up with another group at the Granite Credit Union and buy 'cannabis vape carts' from them. He told police things 'escalated,' and that Hollins was the one to drive him to the hospital.
The group selling the carts told police that when one of them exited the vehicle to meet with Hollins and his group, someone popped up at the car window with a gun and demanded that they empty their pockets. They got back in the car and fled the parking lot, hearing a gunshot after them.
Surveillance video showed that struggle happened in the parking lot, and a flash of a gunshot is seen, which struck the 17-year-old survivor in the leg. He would later tell police that only Hollins had a gun at the altercation, and he was shot during a struggle after someone from the other group tried to wrestle it out of Hollins' hands.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 17-year-old killed in shooting at Kearns High School
During an interview after the deadly May 18 shooting, the 17-year-old survivor told police that another 17-year-old — who we will refer to as the victim for clarity — came to pick him up with Hollins and Shabi. The group were talking about going to a party and were driving around in a gray Honda Accord late Saturday or early Sunday night. Hollins was driving with Shabi in the passenger seat, and the two 17-year-olds were in the backseat.
He told police that the 17-year-old victim wanted to 'cop some bottles,' meaning purchase alcohol, and they went to the Kearns High School parking lot to meet up with someone. The 17-year-old survivor said he wasn't aware of what they were doing, but that 'they' put on their ski masks and got out of the vehicle; he and Hollins stayed in the car.
Surveillance video from the parking lot showed a gold Malibu enter the parking lot, and a short time later, a gray sedan arrived. An adult exited the Malibu and opened the trunk. Two individuals could then be seen rushing out of the gray sedan and rushing toward the Malibu driver. Detectives say they saw a scuffle, and then one individual running away while firing.
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According to documents, detectives saw the driver of the gray sedan exit and appear to 'touch or take things from [the victim] on the ground.' Then, the three occupants of the vehicle sped away from the parking lot, leaving the 17-year-old victim behind.
The Unified Police Department was called to the scene of the shooting. Officers say that they located the 17-year-old victim upon arrival, lying near the Malibu with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Another officer, who was driving to the school to respond, noticed a man running in a crosswalk near the high school. The man, later identified as the adult who shot the 17-year-old, flagged the officer down. He told police, 'He tried to rob me with a big *** AR, and I shot his ***!'
The adult man told police that he had discarded his gun on the side of the road. According to him, he had been contacted on Instagram to meet someone at Kearns High School and sell them bottles of champagne. When he arrived, he opened the trunk and waited for the other party to arrive.
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According to him, the adult man knew it was a robbery when he saw them exit the vehicle with ski masks. He closed his trunk, but he felt a handgun against the right side of his head. He heard one of them say, 'Give it up, we gonna kill you.' The adult man said he then started shooting and running away.
As he was running away, the adult man said he heard someone shout 'ah' but he continued running and hid in a backyard across the street and up the hill. When he finally left his hiding spot, he flagged down the police officer. He told police that he believed the men were going to kill him, so he shot.
The Unified Police Department used surveillance footage to find the three individuals with the 17-year-old victim that night. During an interview with the 17-year-old survivor, he told police that the 17-year-old victim had an AR pistol, and Shabi had a 'glock.'
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He told police that Shabi had taken the handgun and hidden it in his bedroom air vent. Police located a Taurus handgun consistent with a bullet hole found on the gold Malibu during a search on his residence.
A search of Hollins' residence located the gray sedan with damage consistent with the vehicle's appearance on surveillance footage. They also found a bullet hole on the front side of the sedan and an AR pistol in Hollins' bedroom.
Hollins and Shabi are both being held at the Salt Lake County Metro Jail without bail. Their initial appearances are set for June 3.
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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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