The brother of a 31-year-old man who was shot dead in Minneapolis Sunday said his family is demanding justice and believes the killer needs to be “severely punished.”
Haney Elsaied told Alpha News his brother, Ahmed, was smart and hardworking. Haney said he was on the phone with his brother just moments before he was killed by 21-year-old Mohamed Ahmed Said Zaher.
Zaher initially blamed the murder on a masked intruder, saying he discovered Ahmed’s body in his apartment on the 13th floor of the Artistry on 10th high rise in downtown Minneapolis.
He later changed his story and said he accidentally pulled the trigger while he was handling Ahmed’s gun. He then went to the balcony of the apartment unit and tossed the handgun onto the rooftop of the nearby WCCO building.
“They’ve never said anything about my brother, the victim. They only care that the gun wound up on the WCCO building,” Haney said.
“He shot my brother in the back of the head. Everyone should see a picture of his body. That’s what people need to see. This needs to stop,” he added.
Haney said at least 200 people attended his brother’s funeral on Wednesday. His brother had lived at Artistry on 10th for the past year and was letting Zaher stay with him, according to the criminal complaint.
Zaher has been charged with second-degree murder without intent and first-degree manslaughter. He remains in custody on $750,000 bail.
“This guy never looked straight to me. I never liked him,” Haney said of the suspect.
“My family believes these killers need to be severely punished,” he added. “This court system isn’t working.”
Ahmed’s death was the 56th homicide for Minneapolis this year.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
