By SHERRI KOLADE
Times-Herald Newspapers
DEARBORN — A Dearborn man is facing 23 to 45 years in prison, plus two years for felony firearm, after pleading guilty to fatally shooting a Dearborn man after a fight on a basketball court July 13, 2011.
Fadi Hassan Faraj was sentenced June 18 by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Carole Youngblood for the second-degree murder of 23-year-old Hassan Zeidan at Riverside Academy, 6345 Schaefer.
Faraj, 35, was charged by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy July 15, 2011 with first degree murder and felony firearms possession.
The shooting followed a fight at the basketball game that allegedly broke out when Faraj felt Zeidan was guarding him too aggressively.
Faraj said Zeidan punched him after tempers flared, following what witnesses said was a threat by the Faraj to beat up Zeidan.
Witnesses said Faraj then went to his car, got a gun, and shot Zeidan several times. Published reports indicate Faraj tried to flee the scene, but witnesses held him until police arrived.
In February, Judge Carole Youngblood dismissed the case when a prosecutor was late to court, according to published reports, but the charges were re-filed.
In a statement made in 2011, Regional Director for the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Imad Hamad expressed sympathy for the victim’s family.
“(Zeidan’s) shooting is a truly senseless act,” Hamad said. “I hope that this unfortunate occurrence awakens us all to the fact that we are not immune to random violence, and must remain vigilant in preventing such acts.”
(Sherri Kolade can be reached at [email protected])