A Fenton Township teen charged with fatally shooting his friend has been granted a request for a second mental competency opinion.

16-year old Abdurrahman Ahmed Akl is being charged as an adult in the shooting death of 18-year-old Brady Morris. Charges pressed are for Open Murder, Receiving and Concealing a Stolen Firearm, and two counts of Felony Firearms. Police arrested Akl on March 4th after responding to a 9-1-1 report of a male with a gunshot to the head. Authorities say evidence indicates that Akl and Morris, who were friends, were alone on the first floor of the residence when the shooting occurred. Other members of Akl’s family and one guest were on the 2nd and 3rd floors. According to the autopsy report, Morris was shot from behind at point blank range on the top left side of his head. Police were met by Akl outside and arrested him without incident, securing a semi-automatic pistol they found on the front porch.

Akl’s attorney, Frank Manley, requested an exam to determine if Akl was mentally competent at the time of the incident, which was granted. The exam was performed by state mental health professionals and found Akl competent. Earlier this month, Manley requested a second assessment, this time by an independent third party. Manley claimed this is warranted because the while the state’s final report declared Akl competent, their interim report deemed him incompetent for trial. The lawyer said that due to the serious nature of the case, an independent review is greatly needed. District Court Judge Mark MacCabe granted the request. Akl is scheduled to next appear in court on October 18th. (MK)