Murder charges: Suspect shot St. Paul man in auto body shop to avenge his brother's death

Retaliation is the suspected motive in the killing of a man found shot to death in a St. Paul auto body shop, according to charges.

Mohamed Mohamud Farah, 31, of Minneapolis was charged with second-degree murder in Ramsey County District Court on Monday, according to a criminal complaint. Police were told Farah shot Mohamed Jama Samatar, 36, of St. Paul to avenge the death of a relative known as "Shorty."

St. Paul police responded to a report of the shooting about 3:40 p.m. in the 1300 block of Arcade Street in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood on March 30. Officers found Samatar with multiple gunshot wounds. Medics pronounced him dead shortly after he was found.

Surveillance footage showed Samatar was shot at point-blank range after a person that police believed to be Farah raised a gun inside the shop and Samatar raised his hands in a "defenseless manner," according to the complaint. Farah allegedly continued to shoot until the gun ran out of ammunition.

Several workers at the shop said they did not see or hear anything because of loud equipment that was being used, according to the complaint.

Samatar was shot six times, according to the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. His death was ruled a homicide.

When police investigated the death of "Shorty," Farah told them in a 2008 interview that Shorty was his younger brother and was murdered in Minneapolis after Samatar put a hit out on him, according to the complaint. Samatar had a dispute with Farah's older brother.

Authorities received information that said Samatar was in a gang when he was younger. Police believed Shorty's death was linked to gang activity. Samatar was never charged with anything in relation to Shorty's death.

Police arrested Farah on Friday. Farah is in Ramsey County jail in lieu of $1.5 million bail.

Alex Chhith • 612-673-4759