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Pleasantville football game murder defendant claims he shot in self-defense

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The Atlantic City man on trial in a deadly shooting at a Pleasantville High School football game testified that he acted in self-defense.

Alvin Wyatt, 36, is accused of firing eight shots in the stands Nov. 15, 2019, as Pleasantville hosted Camden in a playoff game.

"He was going to shoot me in the head," Wyatt said Ibn Abdullah warned him before reaching for a gun in his waistband that night.

Abdullah already had shot at Wyatt once 2½ weeks earlier in Atlantic City.

It was not clear why the two men's relationship turned violent. Abdullah has a child with Wyatt's sister.

Abdullah had a gun in his waistband as he sat in the bleachers, but never discharged it, according to the state.

He previously pleaded guilty to both the gun possession and the attempted murder of Wyatt. Abdullah faces a four-year sentence under the plea agreement.

Wyatt testified Tuesday that he met friends at the game, and was just walking in the stands to see who else was there when he encountered Abdullah.

"He told me he was going to knock my shit off," Wyatt testified.

"What's that mean?" asked defense attorney Stephen Funk.

"He was going to shoot me in the head," Wyatt replied.

He said he saw the gun in Abdullah's waistband, saw him reach for it and then "I heard a gunshot."

It was not clear who Wyatt was claiming fire that shot.

During cross examination, he said that Abdullah reached for his gun first, but did not get it out of his waistband before Wyatt got his own weapon out of his pocket and fired.

Wyatt said he never saw a child sitting nearby.

Micah Tennant, 10, was struck by a bullet that pierced his neck. He died days later without regaining consciousness.

Cody Griggs, then 15, also was struck in the arm.

Tennant's mother, Angela Tennant, and Griggs, now 19, both testified last week as trial began.

Wyatt ran from the bleachers.

When he realized he still had the gun in his hand, he dropped it under the bleachers, Wyatt said.

"Did you tell the first police officer you encountered that you just shot someone in self-defense?" Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seth Levy asked during cross-examination.

Wyatt said he didn't say anything.

Instead, he gave a fake name, he admitted.

Wyatt was the defense's only witness.

The trial then broke for lunch with closings set for Tuesday afternoon.

A LOOK AT THE FIRST WEEK OF TRIAL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ako8pe3bG6k
author

Lynda Cohen

Lynda Cohen founded BreakingAC after working as a local newspaper reporter for more than two decades. She is an NJPA award-winner and was a Stories of Atlantic City fellow.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024
STEWARTVILLE
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