*** MEDIA ADVISORY***October 12, 2011ATTEMPTED MURDER AT MEIJER RESULTS IN CONVICTIONMedia Contact:  Curtis T. Hill, Jr. - 296-1888On October 11, 2011, an Elkhart County jury convicted Hassan Aljarah, 42 of Elkhart, of Attempted Murder, a Class A felony, after a two day trial in Elkhart Circuit Court.  The case arose from a shooting at the Meijer parking lot in Goshen in November, 2009.  Aljarah, who immigrated to the United States from Iraq in the 1990's, had been arguing back and forth with the victim, Abdul Alfartusi.  Alfartusi had also immigrated to the U.S. when they themselves fled persecution from then dictator Saddam Hussain.  They both came to Elkhart because of job prospects.  Alfartusi, who is married and has a young daughter with his wife, was paralyzed during the shooting and testified from his wheelchair during the trial.  During emotional testimony, he told the jury how Aljarah had pulled a gun on him near the loading docks at the Meijer and fired a shot.  The bullet hit Alfartusi in the neck and sent fragments into his spine.   Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Don Pitzer, explained to the jury how Aljarah fled the scene and left the victim bleeding in the parking lot until a passerby called for help.  He was taken by helicopter from the store.  Alfartusi survived but has no use of his legs and limited use of his upper body.  Aljarah admitted to Goshen police that he had been in an argument with Alfartusi but he denied ever meeting him in the parking lot.  Surveillance video and eyewitnesses however proved that his truck was at the store within minutes of the shooting.  Aljarah will be sentenced on November 10, 2011, and faces 20 - 50 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.*  *  *“Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”