The trial against 15-year-old Ali Salum began on Thursday. The charges relate to an incident in September last year when a peer was shot in the head inside a school toilet at Trångsundsskolan in Huddinge.

According to the court’s main hearing plan, the trial is expected to last until January 22. In total, it will span three days of hearings.

READ ALSO: 15-year-old Ali charged with attempted murder at school

“An accidental shot”

Ali Salum is charged with preparation for murder, aggravated weapons offense, and attempted murder. The classmate was shot in the head, and the bullet went through the nose and lodged in the neck. Despite this, the classmate survived.

In police interrogations, Ali Salum initially denies being the one who fired the shot. Instead, he claims that it was his friend who was suicidal and shot himself with the gun.

“He wanted to commit suicide beforehand,” the 15-year-old claims.

Under pressure in later interrogations, he seems to change his story. He no longer remembers who was holding the weapon.

“It was an accidental shot,” Sali Salum instead says.

“It was like intentional”

The 15-year-old who was shot firmly dismisses all claims that he was suicidal.

“It’s pure lies!” he exclaims in the interrogation and also dismisses the explanation of an accidental shot:

“He aimed towards the mouth and then at the head. So it was like intentional.”

However, there are suspicions in the investigation that Ali Salum shot the wrong person, although it is not clear who the actual target would be in that case.

There are suspicions, however, that another perpetrator, a 14-year-old boy, was involved as the instigator. Since the 14-year-old is not criminally responsible, he cannot be charged, but he has been questioned by the police and questions the accusations.

“Do you think a 14-year-old has a brain to be able to plan?” he asks in a police interrogation.

“Beach ball”

In police interrogations, Ali Salum claims that he was also tasked with “blowing up” a gate, and according to other information from the investigation, he was tasked with shooting at an apartment door.

The 15-year-old claims that the criminal network that he was tasked to carry out the act for paid off the police so that he wouldn’t get caught.

“And if they caught me, I would scream ‘beach ball.’ Or ‘beach.’ But they would let me go,” he claims and later points out:

“They’re not that damn good police.”

Ali Salum was born in Aleppo, Syria. He came to Sweden with his family during the migrant crisis in the fall of 2015.

READ ALSO: Refugee boy arrested for attempted murder at school