Lamar Anderson, aged 22, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after shooting a 15-year-old boy in the back in a case of mistaken identity. The incident occurred on August 2 last year in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. Anderson, who had no prior criminal record, was involved in a fight with Elyas Kaid outside Amex Wines. After retreating, Anderson sought revenge, armed himself with a gun, and returned with friends Jeheim Wilson and Kaine Dowe. They mistakenly targeted the teenage victim at George Street Park, shooting him in the back. The victim survived but suffered broken bones in his spine, a lung wound, and ongoing pain. The bullet remains lodged in his body due to surgical risks. Anderson's barrister, Jasvir Mann, described his client's actions as a 'catastrophic personal mistake' and highlighted his difficult upbringing: Anderson's father was imprisoned and deported to Jamaica when he was six months old, leaving him without a father figure. Anderson also lost his daughter at six months old and has a two-year-old son, meaning history repeats itself. Judge Heidi Kubik KC sentenced Anderson to 16 years with an extended three-year licence period. Wilson and Dowe received shorter sentences for firearm possession. Elyas Kaid was jailed for 10 months for affray related to the initial disorder. The court heard Anderson wrote a letter of apology, but the judge refused to let him read it in court, leaving the decision to the victim's family.
