Gainesville police arrested a man Tuesday they say shot and permanently paralyzed a 17-year-old during a planned robbery behind Oaks Mall in October.
Prosecutors charged Jose Galindo, 23, with robbery with a firearm and attempted felony murder Tuesday morning. They also told a judge they will ask to keep him in jail indefinitely until his trial. Police had been seeking to arrest him since Jan. 17, after two other suspects in the case identified him as the shooter.
According to text messages obtained by police, the trio planned the armed robbery over a month in advance in an effort to obtain THC vape cartridges from the victim, Ari Mordujovich. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Its use in Florida is illegal without a medical marijuana card.
Mordujovich knew one of the suspects from attending Buchholz High together, according to the police report. Mordujovich met up with him the day of the shooting to sell him the cartridges.
After Mordujovich asked for the money, Galindo and the third suspect emerged from nearby bushes wearing ski masks and ran toward the victim, according to the police report. Mordujovich began hitting the first suspect, who was trying to snatch the bag of cartridges from him.
Police say Galindo then shot Mordujovich in his shoulder at close range with a small blue handgun, causing him to fall to the ground. The suspects stole Mordujovich’s cartridges, cell phone, car keys and wallet immediately afterward. Galindo stopped on Mordujovich’s neck before fleeing to the vehicle, one of the suspects told police.
Court records did not specify whether a judge has yet assigned a public defender for Galindo or whether he has hired a private defense lawyer.
The bullet pierced Mordujovich’s lung and lodged in his spinal canal, his family said on his fundraiser page. He was left paralyzed from the chest down.
“It’s been a tough time for us right now,” Mordujovich’s father, Eduardo Mordujovich, said in an interview. “We’re just trying to do the best for Ari.”
Police identified the other suspects as Bryan Galindo Vega, 16, and Yasin Kamel Al’olabi, 17. Both also face charges of attempted murder and armed robbery. Galindo Vega is set to appear in court Feb. 26. Al’olabi has been in jail since Nov. 12.
Photos and videos obtained from Galindo Vega’s cell phone show him firing a handgun that matches the bullet casing found at the scene, according to the police report. Galindo and Galindo Vega are brothers.
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