2 Teens Charged With Murder In Triple Homicide

The teens, Mahdi Hassan Ali, 17, of Minneapolis, and Ahmed Shire Ali, 17, of Minneapolis, were charged with first-degree murder on Thursday. The two will be tried as adults for the triple homicide that occurred on Jan. 6. Freeman said they will go to a grand jury trial and they've asked for $3 million bails for the each. Police say the two teens are not related."When you lose loved ones, it's really, you don't worry about whether they're from your community or any place else," said Abdi Mohamed, a cousin to Mohamed Warfa and Osman Elmi, two of the men killed. "They're criminals. They're cold-blooded killers."According to the criminal complaint, the two teens entered the store, on 2431 East Franklin Ave. South, in masks for a robbery. Mahdi Ali directed everyone in the store by gunpoint to lie on the floor. He then demanded money from the store clerk, Elmi, and his cousin, Warfa.Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan said they could not tell initially from the surveillance videos if robbery was the original intent, however, through further investigation they found it was just a robbery gone bad. Two other customers were hiding in a freezer during the incident. They told police that when the two teens arrived, they were told not to move by Ahmed Ali. They heard Mahdi Ali yell, "This is a robbery." Ahmed Ali demanded one of the customers' cell phone and went through the pockets of the other customer. That's when gunshots were fired and Ahmed Ali ran toward the front of the store.

Prosecutors said Mahdi Ali has been identified by store surveillance video as the gunman. Mahdi Ali had Warfa and Elmi on the floor when another customer walked in and disrupted the robbery. Mahdi Ali immediately turned and shot the customer, later identified as Anwar Mohammed, who fell to the ground, according to the charges."You have to wonder if they even understand what human life means," Mohamed said. "So we're not concerned whether they were 17 or (of) the community. We just very happy that they apprehended them."After shooting Mohammed, Mahdi Ali ran out of the store and Warfa followed him. Within seconds, prosecutors said Mahdi Ali shot Warfa and surveillance videos show Warfa falling to the ground near the back entryway of the store...more,,