Fatal shooting at Lakeville Amazon warehouse was over a missing flashlight

A fight over a gun’s missing flashlight attachment led to the fatal shooting of Ahmed Ibrahim Cariif in Lakeville this past weekend, according to charges filed Tuesday.

Mohamed Aden Hared, 24, was charged in Dakota County District Court on Tuesday with a count of second-degree murder. He was arrested shortly after the Saturday morning shooting.

Both Hared and the 22-year-old Cariif were employees of the Amazon Fulfillment Center at 9800 217th St. W. in Lakeville and had carpooled to their shift with another co-worker.

Hared — who has a permit to carry — brought along a handgun. According to the criminal complaint, the shooting occurred during a physical fight in the parking lot after Hared accused his co-workers of stealing a flashlight attachment to the weapon.

The complaint states that around 1 a.m., while on a break, Hared first realized the flashlight attachment was missing. When the three men returned to the car for another break at 4 a.m., Hared continued to accuse them of theft, saying “no one’s going home tonight,” investigators said the third co-worker told them.

Cariif and Hared then got into two physical altercations. Hared pulled out the gun in the second and fired two shots; one hit an unoccupied vehicle parked nearby and the other struck Cariif in the chest.

Following multiple 911 calls, Lakeville police arrived to find Cariif lying face down between two parked cars with a gunshot wound and evidence of blunt force trauma consistent with a fistfight. He died at the scene after receiving medical aid.

According to police, Hared stood nearby with the gun in his hand. He was arrested without incident.

“It’s so senseless the victim was shot to death over such a trivial matter,” Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said. “Deadly gun violence has no place in our communities, neighborhoods or at our places of work. My condolences to the family and loved ones of Mr. Cariif.”

Judge Krista Marks set bail at $2 million without conditions, $1 million with conditions. Hared’s next court appearance will be July 15 in Hastings.