Trial Underway for Rochester Man Charged in Two Minnesota Murder Cases

Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News)- A trial is underway for a Rochester man charged in a pair of separate Minnesota murder cases. 

See Also: Felon Sentenced for Shooting During Struggle With Rochester Police

The complaints in both cases allege he fatally shot his victims. The first killing he’s accused of committing occurred in Moorhead in September of 2021. 

The second alleged murder happened in December of 2022 near U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis while he was out after posting $1 million conditional bail in the Clay County case. 

First of 2 Minnesota Murder Cases Against Rochester Man Heads to Trial

29-year-old Abdillahi Haji-Mohamed is facing a first-degree murder charge after being indicted by a Clay County grand jury. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office charged the Rochester man with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal Minneapolis shooting. 

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Both cases are heading to trial and court records indicate Haji-Mohamed’s murder trial in Minneapolis will occur first. The proceeding got underway in Hennepin County Court this week. 

The criminal complaint in the Minneapolis case accuses him of shooting a man multiple times during a botched drug deal. 

Minneapolis police found the victim shot to death in the driver seat of a car, which was later found to have been registered to Haji-Mohamed, with a wad of cash containing several hundred dollar bills on the front seat, the criminal complaint says. 

There was also a handgun tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console, the charging document says. 

An ankle monitor Haji-Mohamed was equipped with when he posted his bail in the northwest Minnesota murder case had lost power prior to the Minneapolis killing, court records say. 

The Minneapolis murder trial is set to resume Friday morning. 

Court Date Set for Rochester Man Indicted in Northwest Minnesota Murder

The Rochester man is scheduled to appear in the Clay County murder case next month. The criminal complaint in that case says surveillance camera footage captured him chasing the victim while firing a 9mm pistol at him. 

Haji-Mohamed is seen firing five bullets at the victim, who eventually falls down. He then fired approximately 5 more bullets at the other man at point-blank range, the criminal complaint says. 

Court records also indicate Haji-Mohamed has a criminal history that includes involvement in a shooting in Rochester in 2017. 

The police report on the incident described it as a gun battle between two groups of people in the parking lot of the Olive Garden Restaurant. 

Haji-Mohamed was charged with attempted murder in that case but ended up pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

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