Deadly Eagan shooting started from argument over car seat

A criminal complaint was officially filed on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, charging the suspect Sakaria Ahmed, 31, with Felony murder in the 2nd degree (with intend) (not premeditated). That comes with a maximum sentence of 3-40 years if convicted. The charge description states, that Sakaria Ahmed caused the death of a human with the intent to effect the death of that person or another, not premeditated at the time of the offense. The Defendant, and or the accomplice, used or possessed a 9 MM Springfield XD handgun.

On December 18, 2021, at 6:57 PM, the Eagan Police Department was dispatched to the Marathon gas station in the 1900 block of Silver Bell Road in Eagan, Minnesota. Dispatched had received several calls for a shooting with some reporting a male on the ground that had been shot in the head. Additional calls were received by dispatch about a car crash that had occurred about 100 yards from the gas station. Witnesses at the scene of the accident reported seeing a Somali-looking man wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark pants holding a gun leaving the scene of the crash that was at the intersection of Cedar Grove Parkway and Silver Bell Rd. The individual was seen running in the direction of the outlet mall to the west of the accident. The male, later identified as Sakaria Ahmed (Suspect), was arrested minutes later in the Outlet Mall outside the Express Store.

Officers also responded to the Marathon gas station where they observed an adult male lying on the ground with an apparent gunshot wound to the head near the ear. That male was identified as Faisal Abukar (Victim), 33. He was transported to the hospital where family members would report his passing on December 19, 2021, around 5 AM from his injuries. An autopsy performed by the medical examiner confirmed that Abukar had died from a single gunshot wound to the head and was ruled a homicide.

Interviews were conducted with a Witness (Witness 1) reporting that he drove him and Abukar to the gas station to meet up with some people that Witness 1 did not know. Upon arrival at the gas station, he parked the car away from the gas pumps when a second sedan with the people they were meeting up with showed up with the passenger of the sedan exiting the car. That passenger then entered Witness 1’s car, and a verbal argument ensued between Witness 1 and the passenger from the sedan about how far back the position of Witness 1’s car seat was. Witness 1, the passenger from the sedan, and Abukar exited the Witness’s car and began to argue between the Witness’s car and the sedan. Witness 1 reports that the passenger from the sedan then punched him in the face and threw him to the ground. The passenger of the sedan is described as having a distinct “chin strap” beard that went from his ears to his chin and was also wearing a black hat, according to Witness 1.

Witness 1 then reports that after he was assaulted by the passenger of the sedan, the driver of the sedan - Ahmed exited his vehicle and joined the three of them between the two cars. Ahmed was described as wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt with no hat. Witness 1 says Ahmed shot Abukar once in the head, with Witness 1 saying he fled the scene right after and when he looked back he saw Ahmed pointing the gun at him. Witness 1 then says he continued running towards McDonald’s which was located across the street and just to the west of the gas station. It was at this point Witness one reports he saw both the passenger of the sedan and Ahmed get back in the car and flee the scene of the shooting driving to an area around the Dominoes which is to the north of the gas station. Witness 1 reported that they stopped there for a brief period of time before officially leaving the parking lot going west towards the Outlet Mall and the intersection of Cedar Grove Parkway and Silver Bell Rd. It was at this intersection the sedan could crash into another vehicle about 100 yards from the gas station. Witnesses at the scene of the crash reported Ahmed, who was driving the car, exit the sedan holding a gun in his hand, and run towards the Outlet Mall to the west. He was later caught and arrested at said mall minutes laters outside of the Express store. A live round of a GFL 9mm Luger bullet was found near the car from which Ahmed fled. The passenger from the sedan who assaulted Witness 1 was not found.

Police were able to obtain security footage from the gas station that confirmed what Witness 1 was saying about the two vehicles showing up and an argument arising between the individuals. The shooting was not visible from this video, but police confirm soon after Ahmed was seen exiting the driver’s side of the sedan between the two vehicles, both Witness 1 and another male are seen moving quickly away from the scene. A third male is also visible for a brief period with what appeared to be a gun in his hand. Police confirm Witness 1 is then visible running towards the McDonald’s coming back a short time later to where Abukar was shot. The sedan is then visible on camera leaving the scene with the accident occurring on video in the background.

Police spoke with a second person, Witness 2, who was at the gas station pumping gas when the shooting occurred. She confirms seeing the four Samali males talking between the two vehicles when one of the men pulls out a black handgun and shoots Abukar. That man that shot Abukar, she states, was not wearing a hat while the other individual who did not shoot Abukar was not wearing a hat. This directly confirms Witness 1’s description of Ahmed and the video surveillance.

When police caught and arrested Ahmed, he was identified as wearing a black jacket with grey hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. When asked by police where the gun was for safety reasons, Ahmed stated it was in this pocket. Police confiscated a black 9mm handgun from Ahmed which was loaded with the same ammunition found near the crashed car, GFL 9mm Luger. There was also one round still in the chamber of the gun.

Ahmed’s bail was set at $1.5 million with no conditions, or $750,000 with the conditions. At the time of this story, no bail has been paid. He is currently being held at the Dakota County Jail with his next court appearance scheduled for Tuesday, December 28, 2021, in Hastings Div 2 at 9 AM.

According to the Eagan Police department public records, this would be the first homicide in Eagan, Minnesota for the year 2021.

Scene where shooting, crash, and where suspect was caught and arrested.

Mugshot from suspect Sakaria Osman Ahmed from his arrest and booking December 18-19, 2021.