MINNEAPOLIS — It was just after 7 p.m. at East 26th Street and Cedar Avenue last Saturday when Cristina Sobotta said her 20-year-old son was approached by a group attempting to rob him. Her son ran.

“That’s when they started shooting at him,” said Sobotta.

Two bullets struck her son.

“There were 24 rounds that were shot at him,” said Sobotta.

Employees at a nearby convenience store did a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.    

Sobotta said one of the shots went through her son’s left elbow, another grazed his sternum and went through his right arm, shattering the bone and requiring a blood transfusion.

“I was just really praying that he survived something like that,” said Cristina Sobotta. “I’m just grateful that he’s still alive.”    

While Sobotta’s son’s injuries are healing, the mental damage from the attack still lingers.

“He’s doing OK, I just think that it’s going to be a long journey for him physically and emotionally,” said Sobotta.

The attack in East Phillips was one of 10 violent incidents that Minneapolis police said left three men dead and seven others injured over a period of three days in July.

After enlisting the help of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota BCA to assist with patrols and investigations, police said Sunday that all ten of those incidents remain open and active.

The mother of one of those victims said she is now raising money to move.

“I didn’t really have it in the means to move out of the city,” said Sobotta.
    
She has started an online fundraiser to make it happen.

“I just want change, you know, just like any other mother would, especially going through something like this,” said Sobotta.

While the mental health worker with the American Indian Community is planning to leave the area, she said her work in East Phillips will continue.

“Just to spread change and awareness to our community and to do whatever we can to make it safer,” said Sobotta.  

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis police are investigating a Saturday night crash that left one woman dead and a driver suspected of being intoxicated arrested.

What police are saying

Officers say they responded to reports of a crash between a Dodge Journey and a Dodge Durango at the intersection of Lowry and James Avenues North around 10:40 p.m. Saturday. 

Investigators believe the Dodge Journey crossed the center line and struck the Dodge Durango head-on. 

Police say the driver of the Journey appeared “to be assaulted by an unknown passenger from the Durango.” 

The driver of the Durango, a 31-year-old woman, died from her injuries after being taken to the hospital. 

A 14-year-old girl in the Durango was also taken to the hospital.

Police added that there was a third unidentified woman passenger in the Durango who did not speak to police. 

The driver of the Journey, a 34-year-old man, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the hospital before being taken to jail for suspected DWI and criminal vehicular homicide.

What we don’t know 

The identity of the deceased woman is expected to be released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office at a later date. 

The severity of the 14-year-old girl’s injuries was not released. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A man has been charged almost a year after he hit and killed a mother who pushed her children out of the way before being hit.

Duaale Abdirasaq Hirsi, 23, has been charged with criminal vehicle homicide and criminal vehicular operation almost 11 months after the crash.

An arrest warrant is currently out for Hirsi. 

PAST COVERAGE: Mother killed, 2 children injured after being struck by car in Minneapolis

What happened?

According to the charges, on Sept. 22, 2023, Minneapolis police responded to a report of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian while crossing the street near Lake Street and Blaisdell Avenue South.

At the scene, a woman, who was then identified by police as 36-year-old Annalee Wright was found lying in the street, court documents say.

The complaint states that Wright and her two children, aged 14 and six, were crossing Lake Street on a green light when a vehicle being driven by Hirsi allegedly ran a red light, hitting Wright.

Before being hit, Wright had pushed her children out of the way, but her 14-year-old child was still sideswiped, the charges say.

According to court documents, Wright was taken to the hospital where she died three days later due to severe head injuries and multiple fractures. The 14-year-old suffered a fractured arm and abrasions due to being sideswiped.

Hirsi stayed at the scene after hitting Wright and her child, the charges said. 

What witnesses saw

One witness told police he was on an MTC bus that was on Blaisdell Avenue when the incident occurred. The bus dropped off Wright and her children near the intersection of Blaisdell Avenue and Lake Street, court documents said. 

The witness then said, as the bus was about to enter the intersection on a green light, he saw two cars in the left lane on Lake Street heading west stopped at the red light. Hirisi was in the right lane and reportedly did not stop for the red light and “sped through the intersection,” the witness continued.

According to court documents, the witness said the bus had to brake to avoid hitting Hirsi, and Hirsi then hit Wright. 

Another witness who was driving in the left lane on Lake Street with her boyfriend at the time of the incident told police she was about to merge into the right lane, and had room to do so, when Hirsi allegedly “aggressively” sped up on her, so she moved back into the left lane, the charges said. She also said that Hirsi reportedly “glared at her”, which took his eyes off the road. 

The witness continued to say that Hirsi continued to “glare” at her as he accelerated and passed her, running the red light and hitting Wright, the complaint states. 

Hirsi allegedly never used his brakes before hitting Wright. 

The witness’ boyfriend gave the same description of what happened, and also described Hirsi losing control of his car after hitting Wright, court documents say. 

What surveillance footage shows

Court documents say that surveillance video shows that the intersection was busy during the incident. All the cars in the video had their headlights on, but Hirsi’s car did not. 

The video shows Hirsi failing to stop at the red light, just missing a car that was in the intersection, and hitting Wright. The video also confirmed that Hirsi did not brake when the light was red, and did not brake before hitting Wright and her child, the charges say. 

How fast was Hirsi driving? 

The speed limit on Lake Street was 30 mph, and at the scene, Hirsi told police he was driving on the right late at about 45 mph, court documents said. 

Hirsi allegedly made “inconsistent” statements about the color of the traffic light to police, the charges state. He did reportedly admit to speeding.