A routine school pickup behind the Islamic School of Portland turned into a crime scene, and now one parent is headed to prison for more than a decade.
On Thursday, May 7, 2026, a Multnomah County judge sentenced 43-year-old Noureddine Dib to 12 years in prison. A jury had convicted him in April of attempted murder along with multiple assault and weapons charges for a shooting that wounded another father during school pickup behind the campus.
During sentencing, Judge Andrew Lavin told the court that Dib chose to bring a loaded gun to his children’s school, then escalated the confrontation by pursuing the victim and firing at him a second time. Prosecutors argued that the seven-and-a-half-year mandatory minimum penalty would not have matched the seriousness of the attack, according to OregonLive.
The shooting happened on Oct. 17, 2024. Prosecutors say Dib shot 49-year-old Michael Zakarneh in the abdomen in a parking area behind the Islamic School of Portland, then chased him while firing additional rounds as Zakarneh ran toward a nearby gas station and witnesses called 911, according to a press release from the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
Dib’s attorneys told jurors he acted in self-defense and submitted filings that included a psychiatrist’s note stating Dib had reported being threatened by the other man. Addressing the court himself, Dib said, “I wish what happened didn’t happen at all,” OregonLive reported.
Zakarneh underwent multiple surgeries for the abdominal wound and, according to his family, suffered a broken ankle while trying to escape. His daughter later described nearly losing her father as “gut-wrenching,” in an interview with KPTV. The family has said it created a fundraiser to help cover mounting medical and recovery costs.
Portland Police say officers found Dib inside the school shortly after the shooting. He walked out when ordered, left the firearm behind and was taken into custody while officers cleared the building. Investigators recovered a gun at the scene and canvassed the area for evidence and witnesses, according to a Portland Police Bureau news release.
Convictions And What Comes Next
A Multnomah County jury in April found Dib guilty of second-degree attempted murder, first- and second-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of recklessly endangering another person and discharging a firearm within city limits, the district attorney’s office said. The defense may still pursue post-trial motions and an appeal. Prosecutors said the 12-year sentence sends a clear message about the danger of bringing a gun to a school pickup line, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
