A 31-year-old Minneapolis businessman was shot in south Minneapolis early Wednesday and died about 12 hours later at Hennepin County Medical Center, police and a relative said.
Police responded at 12:50 a.m. to a “shots fired” call in the 2600 block of Pleasant Avenue S. where officers found a man lying in the street with a gunshot wound.
Authorities were not releasing the man’s name, but relatives identified him as Fuad Ali, a married Somali father of two boys younger than 4, with another child expected soon.
A relative said that he owned two halls along Lake Street that he rented out for weddings and community events. The newest acquisition, in the area of the Karmel Mall, was not far from the shooting scene, said a cousin, Hinda Ali of Minneapolis.
No arrests had been made as of Wednesday evening.
The Minneapolis Police Homicide Unit is investigating, and police said they don’t yet have any information on a suspect.
Cyndi Barrington, a police spokeswoman, said it is too early yet for investigators to have determined a motive.
“We have no idea what happened,” Hinda Ali said from Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was Wednesday evening with family members, including Fuad Ali’s father.
She said Fuad Ali had immigrated about a decade ago from Somali and loved being in America. He went to the University of Minnesota and was well known in the community for hosting events and helping charities, Hinda Ali said.
“He was a businessman and created jobs in this city. He was living the American dream. He was a college graduate from the University of Minnesota. He opened his own businesses and was making a great living,” she said.
“For somebody who leaves their own country and is starting up somewhere new, that is an immigrant’s dream. He did all of that, and his life got taken away from him, just like that. He’s stripped away from his little boys and all that.”
Fuad Ali and his wife were excited about their third child, as well as the opening of their second rental hall a couple of months ago, Hinda Ali said. He had licensed his first restaurant and rental hall, Lakeview Hall at 417 Lake St., in April, city records show.
Ali had agreed at that time to provide security when more than 50 guests were at the hall.
Police ask that anyone with information about the slaying call 911 or text tips to 847 411, enter MPD and any information. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
Source: Star Triune