Teen Pleads Guilty in Easter Monday Zoo Stabbing

A 16-year-old D.C. youth has pleaded guilty to stabbing and beating a teenager at the National Zoo the Monday after Easter.

Mshairi Alkebular had been charged as an adult. He pleaded guilty on Monday to assault with a dangerous weapon and carrying a dangerous weapon. He will be sentenced in September. He faces a minimum of two years and a maximum of 15 years for the assault charge and up to five years and $5,000 on the weapons charge.

Prosecutors say Alkebular attacked the 14-year-old boy twice on April 25 inside and outside the zoo.  According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the victim recognized the group Alkebular was with and tried to avoid it. Several people attacked the victim inside the zoo led by Akebular, who stabbed him twice in the arm before his group fled.

Later, outside the zoo, the group chased the victim and attacked him again, with Alkebular stabbing him four times in the torso, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The victim also suffered a broken jaw in the attacks.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment and was immediately able to identify Alkebular as his attacker.