Minneapolis, MN
OPINION EXCHANGE | Counterpoint: On road to liberation, there's only one 'lane'
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Minneapolis City Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw’s recent commentary (“On Gaza, council out of its lane, meeting out of control,” Jan. 11) is a far reach from the call for collaboration she claims it is. Vetaw’s article, published on the eve of South Africa’s appearance in the International Court of Justice to provide evidence of Israel’s violation of the Genocide Convention, demonstrates that Minneapolis leadership needs to pay attention to the voices of its constituents now more than ever.
The City Council has a moral obligation to place pressure on the state and national governments to end aid to Israel’s ongoing siege on Gaza. As a collective of Ward 4 constituents and stakeholders, we are concerned by Vetaw’s blatant lack of regard for the more than 23,000 lives stolen since Oct. 7, and the many thousands still under the rubble.
This genocide has been livestreamed for the world to see. Despite numerous human rights organizations concluding Israel is engaged in war crimes and a “textbook case of genocide,” Vetaw suggests the issue is just too complicated for constituents and leaders in Minneapolis to understand.
In reality, passage of resolutions supporting a cease-fire by local governments is neither new nor unfounded. A number of cities across the United States have already passed resolutions supporting a cease-fire, including Atlanta, Seattle, Detroit, San Francisco and Oakland, Calif.
Council Member Vetaw poses a question: “What makes my colleagues think anyone in Israel or Gaza cares what they think?” A brief Google search will show you that Palestinians have been tirelessly sharing about their struggle for decades. Mohammed El-Kurd, a Palestinian poet and correspondent for the Nation, challenges us to “be unabashed in [our] support and articulation of Palestinian’s right to liberation and self defense against Israeli terror.”
On Nov. 1, Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer shared one of his last poems before being killed by an Israeli airstrike, “If I must die, you must live to tell my story … if I must die, let it bring hope, let it be a tale.” Our timelines are flooded with videos of airstrikes, hospitals in ruins and parents mourning their children, because Palestinian people want us to know what is happening and they are insisting that we speak out against it.
For Vetaw to even pose this question demonstrates that she is not listening to the Palestinian people in Gaza or in Minneapolis.
Council Member Vetaw’s claim that Israel’s decadeslong occupation in Palestine is a complicated geopolitical issue, somehow beyond the scope of the City Council, is in direct contradiction with her decision to sign onto the council’s April 2022 resolution expressing unity with the people of Ukraine, and calling for additional funding from the U.S. government.
She describes the first City Council meeting of 2024 as “chaotic,” and the impassioned community members voicing their support for the cease-fire and the passage of the resolution as “disgraceful,” falsely labeling them as bullies. In reality, this was an act of community, with many stakeholders on all sides of the issue showing up to participate in the democratic process of our city.
Council Member Vetaw’s article also claims no “major” Jewish organizations were consulted in creating the City Council’s resolution. However, the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Minnesota) names numerous organizations, including IfNotNow MN, Jewish Voice for Peace and American Muslims for Palestine, who contributed to the writing of the resolution. These organizations and their members asked that the city of Minneapolis support a “full, immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and for state and federal delegations to use their full authority to advance immediate and permanent cease-fire, and urgently needed humanitarian aid in Gaza.”
Council Member Vetaw wants the City Council to “stay in its lane.” As we honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week, we find his words as timely as ever: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
We believe that all of our lanes converge on the road to liberation.
Noah Schumacher, Anusha Ramaswami, Amber Buck and D.A. Bullock are residents of Minneapolis, Ward 4. Jordan Kushner is a member of the National Lawyers Guild. Samantha Alsadi is a member of the Minnesota Anti War Committee.
Minneapolis, MN
Man on Conditional Release Now Charged in Minneapolis Murder — MNCRIME.com
A man is now charged with murder after prosecutors say a robbery inside a Minneapolis apartment building ended in a fatal shooting.
Prosecutors say the man was on conditional release after being charged with first-degree armed carjacking for an incident in Minneapolis last September.
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The killing happened Feb. 24 inside the Abbott Apartments lounge area on the 100 block of East 18th Street, where police found an adult man dead from gunshot wounds after reports of a shooting.
Court documents state the victim and a friend went to the building to meet 20-year-old Abdirahman Khayre Khayre. A witness stated Khayre left the room several times and appeared to be stalling before three armed men entered and demanded property. The men were described as carrying two Glock-style handguns with extended magazines and an AR-style rifle. During the robbery, the suspects demanded a Louis Vuitton bag belonging to the victim. When the victim resisted, a struggle broke out. The witness stated that two guns were taken from him during the robbery.
The witness told investigators Khayre was handed one of the stolen guns and then pointed it at him, causing him to flee into the lobby. Moments later, multiple gunshots were heard. The witness returned and found the victim shot. Surveillance footage from other areas of the building reportedly corroborated key parts of the account, and the witness later identified Khayre in a photo lineup, according to the complaint.
PREVIOUSLY: Man Shot and Killed Inside Minneapolis Apartment Building
Authorities say Khayre was on conditional release at the time of the killing in a separate Hennepin County case involving a September 2025 armed carjacking.
READ MORE > Minneapolis coverage
In that earlier case, prosecutors alleged Khayre and others confronted a woman in a garage near 19th Street and Nicollet Avenue, pointed handguns at her and forced her to give up the keys to a Dodge Challenger before fleeing in the stolen vehicle. Officers later located the vehicle and arrested multiple suspects, including Khayre, who was identified as the driver.
Court records show Khayre posted a $75,000 non-cash bond and was released under conditions requiring him to remain law-abiding, have no possession of firearms or ammunition, avoid alcohol and controlled substances and complete treatment.
Khayre is now charged with second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. He made an initial court appearance Friday, where a judge set bail at $1 million. If convicted of second-degree felony murder, he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The homicide investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the victim. Anyone with information is asked to contact Minneapolis police by emailing policetips@minneapolismn.gov or calling 612-673-5845. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online. Information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.
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Minneapolis, MN
Man killed over Louie Vuitton bag, suspect was on bond for suspected carjacking, charges say
Minneapolis police are investigating a homicide on Feb. 24, 2026. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man is dead after a witness said he refused to give up a Louis Vuitton bag while being robbed by multiple men at gunpoint.
Abdirahman Khayre Khayre, 20, is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree robbery for the incident that happened on the evening of Feb. 24 in Minneapolis.
READ MORE: Man fatally shot in south Minneapolis apartment building
Fatal Minneapolis shooting after robbery
The set-up:
Minneapolis police responded around 10:42 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Abbott Apartments, located on the 100 block of East 18th Street in the Stevens Square neighborhood of Minneapolis.
Officers then found a dead man in the lobby who had been shot multiple times.
A witness to the shooting said he and the victim arrived at the apartments to “hang out” with Khayre, according to the criminal complaint.
The witness said he became suspicious when Khayre he left the room multiple times and “appeared to be stalling.”
The robbery:
The complaint states the witness reported three men then came into the room and yelled “Give me everything.” The men were armed with Glock handguns that had extended magazines as well as an AR-style rifle.
They then stole two guns from the witness, and one of them was handed to Khayre.
When the men demanded a Louis Vuitton bag from the victim, he refused, leading to a fight between them all.
The shooting:
The witness said when he walked toward them, Khayre pointed the witness’ stolen gun at him and racked it.
The witness then got out of the room, ran toward the lobby and heard multiple gunshots. He then saw two of the men flee out the back of the building, but didn’t see what direction they went in.
The victim was then found dead.
The aftermath:
Khayre was then identified by the witness in a photo lineup, according to the criminal complaint.
Police say video footage corroborated much of what the witness reported.
Khayre was on conditional release for a suspected carjacking at the time of the shooting, according to the complaint.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting.
Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota’s Iranian community: Mixed emotions on US-Israel strike
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The local Iranian community in Minnesota is expressing mixed emotions following the recent joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran.
Local reactions to the strike
What we know:
The strike resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to President Donald Trump and Iranian state media. Many Iranians in Minnesota feel this could lead to freedom for their country.
Nazanin Naferipoor shared that her sister in Iran was initially happy about the strike, believing it might bring about freedom. However, communication has been cut off since the strike began, leaving many worried about their loved ones.
The other side:
Hamid Kashani from the Minnesota Committee in Support of a Democratic Iran expressed mixed feelings about the strike. While he hopes for change, he is concerned about the potential loss of innocent lives.
Fazy Kowsari emphasized that the attack targeted the government, not the religion, and criticized the political motivations behind the strike.
Upcoming rally at Nicollet Mall
Why you should care:
A rally is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at Nicollet Mall and 11th Street. Organizers view the U.S. strike as a rescue operation for Iranians held hostage by the regime, rather than an act of war.
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