On or about March 19, 2026, at approximately 4:55 P.M., Crystal police officers were dispatched to Tobacco Times at 6016 42nd Avenue North in Crystal, Hennepin County, Minnesota for a reported assault. The reporting party, M. N. (“Victim” herein), reported he needed an ambulance because he was assaulted, and he did not know where the person who assaulted him had gone. Officers arrived on scene and saw Victim sitting in the narrow entryway leading behind a large glass counter. Victim’s face was covered in blood.
Officers noted Victim was wearing a yellow shirt, which also had visible blood spatter. Victim told officers that his co-worker, MOHAMMAD ALABABDEH (“Defendant” herein) assaulted him and then left the store in a blue Nissan Altima. Victim [NAME REDACTED] attacked him and punched him. Victim said he thought Defendant took a metal object out of his pants and hit Victim [NAME REDACTED]. While officers were on scene with Victim, Defendant’s wife, T. S., arrived on scene. T. S. Told officers that her husband, Defendant, had been triggered by how close Victim got to Defendant’s face.
T. S. Said Defendant wanted to turn himself in. Officers advised Defendant should go to the Crystal Police Department to do so. Victim was transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center (“HCMC” herein). Victim told HCMC staff he believed he lost consciousness during the assault, and his head was hit multiple times with an object. Victim [NAME REDACTED]. Defendant went to the police department, where he was arrested. In a post-Miranda interview, Defendant told officers that Victim [NAME REDACTED] at the store, but Defendant had never met him.
Defendant said he and Victim got into an argument about the store’s return policy, and Victim “snapped.” Defendant said Victim then “rammed him like a goat” in the head, grabbed his sweatshirt, and started punching him. Defendant said he swung his arms in the air. Officers asked Defendant if he had punched Victim, [NAME REDACTED] did not think he punched Victim. Defendant told officers that Victim [NAME REDACTED] in his hands as Victim [NAME REDACTED], but Defendant could not identify what the item was.
Defendant denied holding anything in his hands while swinging his arms. Officers reviewed surveillance video from inside Tobacco Times. The video showed Victim and Defendant behind the counter. Both Victim and Defendant seemed to be yelling at each other. Defendant then initiated physical contact by forcefully hitting his head into Victim’s head. Immediately following this, Defendant put his right hand in his pocket while Victim and Defendant struggled with each other. Defendant pulled his right hand out of his pocket with an item that appeared to be brass knuckles on his hand.
Defendant punched Victim [NAME REDACTED] in the head with the brass knuckles. Defendant and Victim fell out of camera view, but in later video, Defendant can be seen standing over Victim [NAME REDACTED] into his pocket. Defendant then put his jacket on and left the store.
