Brothers sentenced in fatal 2021 Omaha mall shooting

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Two brothers have been sentenced for their roles in the shooting death of 21-year-old Traquez Swift in at Westroads Mall in April 2021.

Makhi Woolridge-Jones, 18, was sentenced in November to 60-90 years for second-degree murder and assault. He was 16 years old at the time of the shooting.

His brother, Brandon Woolridge-Jones was sentenced Monday in Judge James Masteller’s Douglas County Court to up to four years in jail, with a three-day credit.

Woolridge-Jones drove his brother, gunman Makhi Woolridge-Jones, from the mall after Makhi shot and killed a man and wounded a woman.

Mall security cameras and cameras from individual stores in the mall showed Swift had tried to get away from Makhi when he was shot twice: once in the lower left back and once on his buttock.

A family member shared in court that Swift and Brandon were actually cousins, saying she wished they could have talked out their issues rather than resorting to violence.

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Managing Editor Kevin Westhues and Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this report.

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