Arrest Warrant Issued for Suspected Gunman in Rochester Walmart Shooting

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- An arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect in a shooting last month that happened at a Rochester Walmart. 

Read More: Shooting Reported at Rochester Walmart Store 

Rochester Police responded to the gunfire at the north Walmart store around 11:00 on the night of March 23.

Preliminary information released by police indicated officers found multiple spent shell casings at the scene.

Witnesses told officers they saw a group of people run out of the store then heard the gunshots. No injuries were reported. 

Arrest Warrant ID's Suspected Gunman in North Walmart Shooting

An arrest warrant filed in Olmsted County Court on Thursday identifies the alleged gunman as 25-year-old Abdulahi Mohamed Abukar.

He’s charged with two counts of drive-by-shooting towards a person and a count of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of violent crime.

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The complaint indicates the Rochester man knew the people he was shooting at. Surveillance video captured at the store shows Abukar arriving at Walmart with two other people. 

They parked in the fire lane and entered the store. About 15 minutes later, the victim's vehicle arrived and a passenger was seen exiting and going into Walmart. 

See Also: Man Gets Jail Time in Winona Child Torture Case 

Footage from inside the business shows Abukar and the victim appearing to see each other.

One of the victims ran out of the store and Abukar and the two others with him gave chase, the warrant says. 

Once outside, Abukar ran to the vehicle he traveled in and the vehicle the victim arrived in was seen pulling up to the grocery door entrance at a high rate of speed. 

Abukar then drove towards the victim’s vehicle and was seen firing what appeared to be two gunshots at it, the charges say. 

The warrant says one of the rounds struck the outside of Walmart within 30 feet of the grocery store entrance. The other round struck the front passenger tire of the victim’s vehicle. 

Carjacking & Assault Proceeded Rochester Walmart Shooting

During the investigation Rochester police learned Abukar was assaulted in a hallway in the Valleyhigh Flats apartment complex. Police have identified two of the assailants in that case, according to the warrant. 

Investigators suspect the shooting was in retaliation for the assault. Abukar is also suspected of committing a carjacking on the night before the shooting and after he was attacked in the hallway, the warrant says. 

The court document says the victim in that case was not involved in the apartment complex assault case. 

Walmart Shooting Suspect Awaiting Sentencing in Home Invasion, Also Wanted in Dakota County

Court records indicate the shooting occurred while Abukar was awaiting sentencing in an assault case in which he was accused of breaking into an apartment and robbed the resident at knife-point. 

The charges in that case say crashed while fleeing from the scene and fled officers after the crash before being taken into custody. His bail was set at $75,000 in that case. 

Read More: Guilty Plea in Violent Rochester Home Invasion Case 

Abukar was also convicted of third-degree assault in Olmsted County in 2019 and served an 18-month prison sentence. 

The arrest warrant also says the Abukar is wanted in a Dakota County case, in which he is charged with driving after revocation inimical to public safety. 

Authorities suspect Abukar is likely in hiding, the warrant says. He is not in custody as of Thursday night, according to Olmsted County Jail records.