Man found guilty of murder for 2019 killing of Lincoln teen

LINCOLN, Neb. – A man was found guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday for the shooting of a 15-year-old in Lincoln in 2019.

A jury found Majdal Elias, who was 24 at the time of the shooting, guilty of murder and other gun-related charges for the killing of Ali Al-Burkat in September 2019.

Al-Burkat was in a vehicle with multiple other people on their way to rob a known drug dealer when he was shot by Elias near 7th Street and Fletcher Avenue.

Police said Al-Burkat suffered a gunshot wound to the back, and was pronounced dead at the hospital after medical crews found him in the Walgreens parking lot at 14th and Superior Streets.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Elias was arrested in late October 2019 on unrelated narcotics charges, leading to search warrants being served on his vehicle and at his home.

Multiple weapons, illegal drugs, and numerous cell phones were located, court records show.

Police noticed damage to the front left of Elias’ vehicle, which matched what investigators saw in surveillance video from Sept. 29.

He was charged with murder on Feb. 26, 2020.

The week long trial concluded Wednesday when a jury found Elias guilty of second-degree murder and three gun-related charges.

His sentencing is scheduled for May.