Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of more than 38 years in prison after a man was shot with a sawn-off shotgun in a Smethwick car park. Tyjon Cogger, 23, and Saabir Mohamed, 26, were convicted of firearms offences following the attack on 23 October 2023, which left a man in his 20s with gunshot wounds to his leg and foot.
The incident came to light when the victim was dropped off at Birmingham’s City Hospital by associates in an Audi. Hospital staff alerted the police, but the victim refused to cooperate with officers. Despite this, a major investigation was launched, with detectives meticulously reviewing CCTV footage and telecommunications data to piece together the events.
CCTV evidence revealed that the Audi had arrived at the Cape Hill Retail Park car park alongside another vehicle. Shortly after, a Ford Kuga, driven by Cogger, entered the scene. Investigators believe the occupants of the Ford Kuga had been searching for the victim and his associates. Mohamed was captured on camera exiting the vehicle and firing the shotgun twice.
The relentless efforts of the police led to the identification and arrest of Cogger, of Church Avenue, Amblecote, Dudley, and Mohamed, of Thomas Crescent, Smethwick. Cogger was sentenced to 18 years and six months in prison, while Mohamed received a 20-year and eight-month sentence.
Detective Inspector Francis Nock, from the Major Crime Unit, praised the investigative team: “Officers worked extremely hard to piece together what happened and spent hundreds of hours reviewing CCTV footage. It is down to their hard work that we identified Cogger and Mohamed and brought them to justice. These men are dangerous and are now rightfully behind bars, making our streets a safer place.”
The convictions are part of Operation Target, a region-wide initiative aimed at tackling serious and organised crime, including gun violence, drug trafficking, money laundering, and child exploitation. Police continue to work around the clock to ensure the safety of communities across the region.