Exclusive:Man accused of shooting teen in Sheffield tells court he was looking after gun for someone else
The defendant took the witness box in the latest court hearing
A man accused of shooting a teenager on a Sheffield city centre street has said he was “in shock” when he fled the scene of the crime.
Tanzir Ali, 26, has been accused of shooting a 16-year-old boy in the head last November.
He was arrested in Aberdeen alongside Sharna Osborne, 24, who has since been charged with assisting an offender.
Both pleaded not guilty.
On Tuesday (August 25), Ali presented himself to the witness box at Doncaster Crown Court to give evidence.
“There’s not a day that I don’t think about [the victim], I can’t believe what happened,” Ali told the court.
“I’m sorry about what happened, I’m still in shock.
“Words can’t describe how I feel about what happened.”
During questioning from his defence counsel, Timothy Raggatt KC, Ali confessed to having been in possession of a gun - however claimed that he was “keeping it” for someone else who had agreed to clear his debts.
He told the court that on the day of the shooting - November 24, 2025 - he had taken the gun out with him as he was set to return it to the owner at a meeting place in Mount Pleasant Park.
Ali, of Glencoe Road, Norfolk Park, refused to give the name of the gun’s owner, saying that he had “threatened” him and his family when the weapon was handed over.
Before returning the gun, Ali said he had met with two friends and gone for a meal on London Road, before heading to an off-licence shop further down the street to pick up cigarettes.
It was at this point that the group ran into the victim of the shooting, who has been granted legal anonymity.
CCTV footage shown in court captured the moment they met, with an altercation taking place between the victim and one of Ali’s friends.
Ali told the court he was “trying to stop the fight” by “getting in the way” of the two.
The fight ended up moving around the corner, onto Ward Place, where the teen victim was shot.
“I don’t remember it clearly,” Ali said when questioned by Mr Raggatt.
“I remember pulling the gun out to scare [the victim].”
CCTV seen by the jury showed the victim fall to the ground, before Ali and the others ran away.
“The last thing I saw was him falling on the floor,” Ali added.
“I just ran - I was in shock, I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
Following questions from Mr Raggatt, Ali went on to tell the court he didn’t know how the gun worked or that it was even loaded.
Mr Raggatt went on to say: “You obviously must have applied pressure to the trigger, or it would not have gone off - did you do that on purpose?”
“No,” Ali replied.
Under cross-examination, prosecuting barrister Katherine Goddard KC said that Ali had been carrying the gun with him for an hour and a half prior to the shooting
“But I didn’t know it was loaded,” Ali responded.
Ms Goddard continued: “But you knew it was a gun, didn’t you?
“Who would want to threaten you about keeping a water pistol?”
The court was told Ali was arrested in Aberdeen with the gun, 39 9mm bullets, more than £30,000 worth of drugs and thousands of pounds in cash.
Ali admitted to having the bullets in his pocket and taking the drugs with him.
Ms Goddard asked: “Were the drugs there so that if your stash of cash were to eventually run out you could sell [the drugs] to get some more money to keep you going?”
“Yes,” Ali responded.
The trial continues.