Man shot and killed after being chased near Mpls encampment: Charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A man has been charged after killing another man following a fight near a homeless encampment in Minneapolis.
Ahmed Ali Abdi, 37, has been charged with one count of second-degree with intent and one count of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a violent crime.
What happened?
According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 19 around 5:30 p.m., Minneapolis police were made aware of a shooting at a homeless encampment on the 3300 block of 3rd Avenue South.
The charges say that a fight occurred in the street in front of the encampment before it moved down the street. At some point in the fight, Abdi approached the victim and shot him one time in the torso.
The victim was taken to the hospital, where he later died from his gunshot wound, court documents say.
Abdi was arrested on Thursday at the homeless encampment, and his next court appearance is on Monday.
Fight captured on video
Court documents say that the incident was caught on camera, and investigators learned that the fight involved multiple men after beginning around 5 p.m.
The video shows the victim being chased by three other men in the street in front of the homeless encampment up to the sidewalk on 33rd Street and 3rd Avenue South, court documents say. The victim is then grabbed by one of the men and is assaulted by the others.
The video goes on to show the victim being chased back towards the homeless encampment. The victim then backs away from the group of men as they "aggressively" follow the victim, court documents said. Abdi is allegedly seen watching this happen.
The victim is then chased again by several men, and tries to escape from the street onto a sidewalk where Abdi was standing. Abdi then raises his arm towards the victim and is "seen holding a gun as he lowers his arm," the charges allege.
He then puts the gun back into his waistband and "calmly" walks away.
Authorities were not able to locate Abdi on the day of the incident.
Victim's cause of death
The single gunshot struck the victim in both his lung and heart, which ultimately led to his death, court documents say.
Minneapolis encampments
The homeless encampment on 31st Street East and 4th Avenue South in Minneapolis was evicted in late August after neighbors attempted to clear the camp themselves. Before that, an encampment was at 33rd Street and 3rd Avenue South, where this homicide took place.
READ MORE: City evicts Minneapolis encampment after neighbors attempt to clear tents
More recently, another homeless encampment popped up near the Mino-Bimaadiziwin Apartments in Minneapolis. Neighbors are worried about their children's safety, saying it's turned into an open drug market.
Minneapolis city officials say they are aware of the new encampment and are working on a plan for the encampment, which is not on city property.