Teen killed older brother in front of multiple family members, saying, 'I had to shoot him': Police

Inset: Ameen Farraj (North Olmsted Police Department). Background: The area where Farraj allegedly shot and killed his older brother (WEWS).

An 18-year-old Ohio man is accused of killing his older brother, allegedly shooting him after he said the 22-year-old was attacking their mother inside their family home.

Ameen Farraj was taken into custody and charged with one count of murder in the slaying of Abdulla Farraj, authorities announced.

According to a news release, police and firefighters responded to the home in the 5100 block of Lucydale Avenue at 2:41 p.m. on Wednesday regarding a 911 call reporting that a man had been shot "after an altercation in the residence." Emergency medical personnel transported Abdulla Farraj to Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A pair of 911 calls stemming from the shooting provided additional context about the alleged incident.

In one, Ameen Farraj told a dispatcher, "I had to shoot him. I had to shoot him," according to a report from Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC.

When the dispatcher asked whether Ameen Farraj had shot his brother, he answered, "Yes," before adding, "He was hitting my mom."

Ameen Farraj told the dispatcher that his brother was still breathing and was lying on his stomach and groaning. The dispatcher instructed him to turn Abdulla Farraj over and apply pressure to the wound just seconds before first responders arrived.

In a separate call, Ameen Farraj's sister told a dispatcher, "My brother hit my mom and he got shot." She later said Ameen "was protecting me and my mother and my cousin."

About five other people were inside the home when the shooting occurred, but Abdulla Farraj was the only person shot, Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS reported. He reportedly suffered one shot to the stomach and another to the chest.

Ameen Farraj appeared Thursday in Rocky River Municipal Court for his arraignment, where defense attorney Issa Elkhatib argued that his client lacked a criminal record and posed no danger to the community.

"This is a case strictly of self-defense and defense of others," Elkhatib said, according to WEWS.

Elkhatib emphasized that his client intervened only to protect his family.

"This is a case where, had Mr. Farraj not acted quickly, swiftly, and intelligently, we could be talking about a murder of maybe multiple people," he reportedly said.

The defense has said Abdulla Farraj had a history of violent and verbally abusive behavior toward family members and that he attacked their mother before Ameen Farraj intervened. Elkhatib also told the court that Ameen Farraj's mother had just left the ICU after a possible brain bleed and was already battling cancer, per WEWS.

In a statement posted to Facebook, Elkhatib described the incident as an effort to protect the family and wrote, "This was NOT an act of murder."

Authorities previously arrested Abdulla Farraj multiple times on charges of domestic violence dating back to 2023. He also has pending cases involving charges of theft, obstructing official business, and criminal damage, Cleveland.com reported.

Ameen Farraj is being held at the North Olmsted Jail on $1 million bond. If released, he will be required to wear a GPS monitor. It was not immediately clear when he was scheduled to make his next court appearance.