Abdikani Mukhtar Abdiwahab, 18 of Bloomington, and Abdulahi Jama Ali, 18 of Shakopee, were charged* today in Dakota County District Court for their role in the shooting incident at Burnsville High School, announced Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena.
Mr. Abdiwahab was charged with two counts of drive-by shooting and two counts of aiding an offender. Mr. Ali was charged with two counts of drive-by shooting and one count of second-degree assault while using a dangerous weapon.
According to the criminal complaint, on the evening of Friday, June 6, officers from the Burnsville Police Department were providing security during graduation at the Burnsville High School. The officers had interrupted several physical altercations between two groups of people.
A short time later at approximately 8:30 p.m., officers heard gunshots that appeared to come from the west side of the high school. After they responded to the location, bystanders directed them to a nearby black car. The two men, Abdiwahab and Ali, were removed from the vehicle and detained. Officers found a handgun with an extended magazine under the front passenger seat and a bullet casing on the driver side floorboard. Additional bullet casings were located close by on the street and a bullet fragment was found lodged in a headlight of a parked car.
During the investigation, witnesses told officers they were in a vehicle directly behind the car driven by Abdiwahab. They noted he was driving recklessly and almost hit another vehicle. They observed a person approach the passenger side of the car who attempted to punch the vehicle with his fist. A barrel of a gun then appeared from the front passenger window and shots were fired.
Mr. Abdiwahab told officers that he did not shoot a gun and denied knowing how a gun was found in the car. A DNA swab of the gun and both men were sent to the Minnesota BCA for analysis.
Both Abdiwahab and Ali are currently in custody at the Dakota County Jail. Bail was set in the amount of $150,000 without conditions ($75,000 with conditions) for Abdiwahab and $200,000 without conditions ($100,000 with conditions) for Ali by Judge Karen Asphaug. Mr. Abdiwahab is scheduled to be back in court on June 25 at 1:30 p.m. and Ali's next court appearance is scheduled for June 24 at 1:30 p.m.
County Attorney Keena thanked the Burnsville Police Department for their investigation of this incident.
A summary of the facts pertaining to this case can be found in the criminal complaint at Criminal Complaint Search.
*Criminal charges are not evidence of guilt. A defendant/suspect is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.