MINNEAPOLIS — Community leaders and the Minneapolis police chief announced Tuesday they believe they’ve arrested the person responsible for shooting a 75-year-old worshiper as he was leaving evening prayers.
The shooting happened outside the Masjid An-Nur mosque in Minneapolis around 5:40 p.m. Monday. Imam Makram El-Amin said a community “legend” – referred to as Abdul Kareem – was exiting the mosque when he noticed a person involved in a drug deal. Abdul Kareem and another mosque member approached the person to request that they leave the area.
“[They] had some words, [the suspect] drove off and then subsequently made a U-turn, came back and opened fire,” El-Amin said during a press conference on Tuesday.
El-Amin added that the victim – who also walks with a cane – was hit three times in the shoulder and arm, and is in stable condition following surgery.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed they believe they’ve arrested the person responsible for the attack.
“As of this afternoon, we have a person in custody on unrelated charges that we believe is the shooter. And so we will release more information on that as we build this case,” O’Hara said.
O’Hara also pledged more patrols in the area, given what community leaders noted was a recent uptick in crime. And mosque leaders also noted that a plan to increase security around the mosque was being expedited, given the shooting.
Meantime, leaders – both in the police department and the mosque – say they’re hopeful a person they describe as “the most beloved” is able to fully recover.
“What he did yesterday, we believe is a courageous act,” said Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Hussein added: “What he did is an inspiration to the rest of us.”
“The contrast between leaving prayer – an elder walking with a cane – being shot by someone who’s outside dealing poison in this community, is ridiculous,” O’Hara said.
“If one of us goes down, a whole lot of us stand up and you can’t take everybody out of this community,” said Bilal Muhammad, a member of the Masjid An-Nur.
CAIR-Minnesota has organized a fundraiser in support of Abdul Kareem. You can learn more information about that effort here.