Portland Father Shoots Another Dad at School Pickup, Case Hinges on 'Self-Defense' Claim

A father shot at another dad at his son’s school following a dispute. According to The Oregonian, the man approached the victim’s car during school pickup time. Their brief interaction escalated into a dispute and ended in gunfire.

Noureddine Dib, 43, was found guilty of second-degree attempted murder, according to a press release from the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. A jury also found him guilty of multiple related charges in connection with the shooting that occurred in 2024.

On April 21, Dib was also convicted of 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 Oregonian reported that the incident occurred on October 17, 2024, at the Islamic School of Portland. During school pickup hours, Dib approached the victim’s car in the parking lot, where they had a brief interaction.

However, not long after, Dib shot the other man in his abdomen. He continued to fire multiple shots at the victim while pursuing him on school property. According to the press release, the man escaped to a nearby gas station.

After bystanders called 911, the victim was identified as Michael Zakarneh, as per KATU and FOX 12. The outlets reported that the two men had another altercation during school drop-off. Before the confrontation escalated into gunfire, tensions between the two fathers had increased in recent weeks.

According to The Oregonian, after shooting Zakarneh, Dib entered the school building and called 911 himself. In the call audio, he said, “I’m a peaceful person, but this guy keeps harassing me.”

His attorney argued that Zakarneh had been the aggressor in their prior encounters. The attorney said he had allegedly threatened Dib, triggering him to shoot in self-defense.

Defense attorney Kristen Winnemiller said, “It was the man who had been tormenting him for weeks, with mocking gestures and horrible derogatory language.”

Winnemiller added that Dib “remembers taking a single self-defense shot.” Prosecutors denied the claims in court.

The victim’s daughter, Amineh Zakarneh, reflected on the incident. According to KATU, she said, “He's just everything you would want in a father, and for that to be almost taken away from me and my siblings and my family is absolutely gut-wrenching.”

She alleged that his father “just wanted to talk, and then all of a sudden the man pulled out the gun and shot him.”

Dib’s sentencing is scheduled for May 7.