A Burnsville man fired a gun from his white Hyundai Sonata at another vehicle during a rolling shootout on I-35W, with security and traffic cameras capturing the exchange and witnesses reporting gunfire between the cars, according to the complaint.
Yahie Abdi Abdul, 19, faces three felony charges: drive-by shooting toward an occupied motor vehicle or building, 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and intentional discharge of a firearm endangering safety.
According to court documents, officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired on February 13, 2026, in the area of River Ridge Boulevard and I-35W in Dakota County. Security footage from several nearby businesses, including the Dar-Us-Salaam Mosque and the Grand Slam family entertainment center, showed four vehicles circling the area in the minutes before the shooting.
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At about 5:46 p.m., video captured a grey Toyota Camry driving down River Ridge Boulevard, followed closely by a black Honda sedan. Two men in the Honda were seen hanging out of the windows and firing guns at the Camry near the intersection with South River Ridge Circle. Both vehicles fled the area immediately after the shooting.
Shortly after, Abdul’s white Hyundai Sonata left the Dar-Us-Salaam parking lot and drove toward the scene. Another black Honda sedan also left the area, entering I-35W northbound. Abdul’s vehicle was seen traveling slowly on an access road before entering I-35W via Cliff Road, moving so slowly that traffic behind nearly stopped. Once on the interstate, Abdul drew level with the second black Honda sedan and both vehicles’ brake lights were visible before Abdul exited at Black Dog Road.
A witness told police she saw a white and a black sedan driving close together on I-35W near Chalet Golf. She reported seeing a person emerge from the sunroof of the black sedan and fire at the white sedan, then saw the driver of the white sedan fire back. The witness said she saw the driver holding a gun, heard shots and saw smoke and debris coming from the white sedan, which investigators identified as Abdul’s vehicle.
Traffic camera footage showed Abdul’s vehicle leaving the interstate, driving to Riverfront Park, then to the US Salt building. Video captured Abdul and an unknown passenger exiting the vehicle, moving around it and throwing what appeared to be a plastic shopping bag from the car.
Abdul is charged with drive-by shooting for firing from his vehicle at another occupied car, 2nd-degree assault for using a firearm in a manner that endangered others and intentional discharge of a firearm for firing in a way that put people at risk.
The charges were filed Tuesday, August 4, in Dakota County District Court. A court date has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from gross-misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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Jurisdictional Context
Dakota County, immediately south of Saint Paul, is Minnesota’s third-largest county by population. The Dakota County Attorney’s Office prosecutes felonies through the First Judicial District; cases are heard at the Dakota County Judicial Center in Hastings.
