Graduation shootings: 2 men federally charged for machinegun possession
Men face federal weapons charges after graduation shooting
Two men are facing federal charges related to incidents at graduation ceremonies. Investigators found evidence that they illegally modified guns. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has the full story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Federal authorities have brought charges against two men linked to shootings at graduation ceremonies in the Twin Cities in recent weeks.
Shooting after Wayzata graduation
The backstory:
On May 30, police responded to a shooting outside Mariucci Arena on the University of Minnesota campus after a Wayzata graduation ceremony that left two people hurt, including the parent of a graduate.
Police say the suspect, later identified as Hamza Abdirashid Said, 20, of Coon Rapids, was wearing a traditional Somali gown outside the arena when he pulled up the garment to pull a gun.
According to criminal charges, Said fired shots, leaving a 19-year-old man and a 49-year-old man hurt. Both victims were later released from the hospital.
Even after criminal charges were filed, the motive behind the shooting remained unclear. School officials said there was no known connection between the shooter and the graduation ceremony.
Gunfire erupts after Burnsville High School graduation
Four people were arrested after reports of gunfire and multiple fights broke out shortly after the Burnsville High School graduation ceremony on Friday night. It's the second weekend in a row that a shooting has occurred outside a Twin Cities high school graduation event.
Shots fired after Burnsville graduation
The backstory:
Last Friday, exactly a week after the shooting outside Mariucci Arena, police responded to another shooting that followed a graduation ceremony.
In that shooting, Burnsville police said they responded around 8:30 p.m. to a report of "multiple altercations" near Burnsville High School following graduation. Officers already on scene for the graduation ceremony reported hearing gunshots. There were also reports of multiple fights that broke out prior to the shooting.
Police arrested four people connected to the incident, but said no one was hurt by the shots fired.
On Monday, the Dakota County Attorney's Office filed charges against two men: Abdulahi Jama Ali, 18, of Shakopee, and Abdikani Mukhtar Abdiwahab, 18, of Bloomington.
The complaint stated that the altercation started with a conflict between two groups and officers reported the individuals flashing gang signs.
Federal complaint filed
New details:
On Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced that new charges had been filed against Said and 18-year-old Amiir Mawlid Ali. The two young men are now charged with possession of machineguns.
Authorities say both men were found carrying pistols equipped with switches, devices that allow semi-automatic pistols to be fired at a fully automatic rate.
Dig deeper:
Amiir Mawlid Ali was arrested following the Burnsville shooting. However, the federal charges stem from a traffic stop two days before Friday's shooting.
Authorities say, on June 3, Minneapolis police officers made a traffic stop at 27th Street East and 18th Avenue South. According to the criminal complaint, Amiir Ali was a passenger in a vehicle that drove aggressively through an intersection. During the stop, officers found a pistol equipped with a switch under Amiir Ali's seat, the complaint states. Police say the group told them they were on their way to another graduation ceremony for Edina students at the University of Minnesota.
The news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office states: "An MPD officer recognized the front passenger as Amiir Ali. The officer knew from prior investigations that Ali was associated with multiple recent gang-related shootings and was known to carry firearms. The occupants stated they were heading to the Edina High School graduation ceremony at the University of Minnesota. Officers were aware of a shooting that occurred at the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at the same location just four days earlier. Officers located a Glock 10mm semiautomatic firearm under Ali’s seat. The Glock was equipped with a loaded 33-round extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch."
Three days after the traffic stop, prosecutors say Ali was arrested in a vehicle stopped after the Burnsville graduation shooting. In calls from jail, authorities said Amiir Ali was heard discussing how he would need "a button" when released from jail. Authorities say a "button" is slang for a switch.
Timeline:
Here is a timeline of Amiir Ali's arrest:
- June 3 at 3:44 p.m.: Amiir Ali is in a vehicle stopped by Minneapolis police. In the vehicle, police say they found a pistol with a switch. Police say the group was headed to an Edina graduation ceremony when they were stopped.
- June 3 at 5:02 p.m.: Ali is booked into Hennepin County Jail on a weapons charge.
- June 5 at 4:40 p.m.: Ali is released from Hennepin County Jail as his 36-hour hold expires.
- June 6: Ali is among four people arrested following shots fired at the Burnsville graduation.
- June 11: Prosecutors announce federal charges against Ali, related to the June 3 traffic stop. He is not currently facing any charges related to the Burnsville shooting.
What they're saying:
In a statement on the charges, U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said: "High school graduation ceremonies are a rite of passage. A time for friends and family to come together to celebrate one of life’s major milestones. To bring machineguns and violence to such a ceremony is immoral and shameful. On behalf of all Minnesotans, I want to express a sense of moral outrage at these crimes and assure the public that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."