Second Suspect Charged in Burnsville Drive-By Shooting; Prosecutors Say He Drove Car Used in Attack
Pictured: Mahdi Abdihakim Yassin. Provided by the Dakota County Jail.
Published: August 13, 2026
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA - A second 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with a February shooting investigation in Burnsville that authorities say involved four vehicles, two separate exchanges of gunfire, and shots fired both on a city street and on I-35W.
Mahdi Abdihakim Yassin, 19, of Prior Lake, is charged in Dakota County District Court with three felonies stemming from the February 13, 2026, incident:
Drive-By Shooting Toward an Occupied Motor Vehicle or Building
Second-Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
Dangerous Weapon Violation — Reckless Discharge of a Firearm
The most serious charge, drive-by shooting, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. The second-degree assault charge carries a maximum of seven years and/or a $14,000 fine, while the reckless discharge charge carries a maximum of two years and/or a $5,000 fine. The first two counts also reference Minnesota's firearm minimum-sentence statute.
Yassin is the second person charged in the Burnsville investigation. Earlier this month, prosecutors charged Yahie Abdi Abdul, 19, of Apple Valley, with felony drive-by shooting, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and intentionally discharging a firearm under circumstances that endangered another person's safety.
While the two men are charged as part of the same overall February 13, 2026 investigation, the complaints allege they were involved in different portions of what investigators describe as two shootings occurring within minutes of each other.
Four Vehicles, Two Shootings Within Minutes
The investigation began after Burnsville police were dispatched to reports of multiple gunshots in the River Ridge Boulevard area and along I-35W on February 13.
Officers eventually collected surveillance footage from the Dar-Us-Salaam Mosque, Grand Slam family entertainment center, Better Business Bureau, Antiques Minnesota and Metro Sales Inc., along with traffic camera footage covering portions of I-35W and Riverfront Park and security video from U.S. Salt.
According to the complaint, investigators used that footage to reconstruct a timeline involving four vehicles:
A black Honda sedan with a temporary Minnesota plate, referred to by investigators as "Honda-1."
A white Hyundai Sonata.
A second black Honda sedan, referred to as "Honda-2."
A gray Toyota Camry driven by an adult man identified in court documents by the initials S.A.Y.
Police say surveillance video showed all four vehicles essentially driving in circles around the area between approximately 5:30 p.m. and 5:46 p.m.
Prosecutors Say Yassin Drove Car Used in First Shooting
The new complaint focuses heavily on the first shooting, which occurred along River Ridge Boulevard. At approximately 5:46 p.m., investigators say surveillance footage showed the gray Camry traveling along River Ridge Boulevard. Several seconds later, Honda-1 allegedly accelerated past other traffic in an apparent effort to catch up to the Camry.
According to the complaint, two men could be seen hanging out of the windows of Honda-1, and multiple witnesses reported seeing and hearing the men fire guns toward the Camry.
The shooting occurred near the intersection of River Ridge Boulevard and South River Ridge Circle. Afterward, Honda-1 allegedly fled the area and was captured by Minnesota Department of Transportation traffic cameras entering northbound I-35W from River Ridge Boulevard. Honda-2 passed through the shooting area seconds later, traveling in the same general direction.
Prosecutors now allege Yassin was driving Honda-1 during that shooting and was also one of the shooters.
Alleged Target Told Police His Vehicle Was Shot Multiple Times
Shortly after the shooting, the driver of the Camry contacted law enforcement and reported that someone had shot at his vehicle. Officers met with the driver and confirmed the Camry had multiple bullet holes, according to the complaint. The driver told investigators he had been driving in the area when a white vehicle began following him. A black Honda Accord subsequently began driving extremely close to his vehicle before its occupants allegedly opened fire.
The man told investigators he did not know why anyone would shoot at him. He placed the beginning of the shooting near River Ridge Boulevard and River Ridge Lane, which investigators said was consistent with surveillance footage collected during the investigation. Police also recovered multiple spent shell casings from the area described by the driver.
That location is near Grand Slam, where Limitless Media initially reported on the significant police response and road closures on the evening of February 13.
At the time of the original incident, officers at the scene told Limitless Media that they were unaware of any injuries.
Police Connect Black Honda to Yassin
The investigation into Honda-1 continued after the shooting. According to the complaint, investigators eventually associated the black Honda with Yassin. Police also reviewed surveillance video from the Dar-Us-Salaam Mosque and reported seeing a person matching Yassin's description inside the mosque shortly before the shooting.
On February 26, approximately two weeks after the incident, officers went to Yassin's known address and allegedly found Honda-1 parked in the driveway. Investigators continued tracking the vehicle. On March 6, police located Honda-1 at a Burnsville business and conducted a traffic stop. According to the complaint, Yassin was driving. Police detained Yassin, advised him of his Miranda rights, and interviewed him about the February shooting.
Yassin allegedly told officers that the Honda was registered to his mother but that he was its primary driver and had been using the vehicle for approximately one month.
Prosecutors Say Yassin's Explanation Did Not Match Evidence
When questioned about the shooting, Yassin allegedly told investigators he had been inside the Dar-Us-Salaam Mosque when the gunfire occurred. Police say the evidence did not support that explanation.
According to the complaint, Honda-1 was recorded leaving the scene after the shooting and traveling onto the highway. Investigators noted that if Yassin had remained inside the mosque as he claimed, someone else would have had to take his primary vehicle, use it during a drive-by shooting and then return it to him. Prosecutors say Yassin did not explain how he left the mosque, how he regained possession of the Honda, who allegedly took the vehicle, or why he did not report that someone had used his car in a shooting.
Investigators also allege mosque surveillance footage showed Yassin shortly before the shooting but not inside the mosque at the time the shooting occurred, despite his statement that he had been there. Police also found Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services paperwork associated with Honda-1 at Yassin's residence on March 6, according to the complaint.
Based on the surveillance and traffic camera footage, Yassin's connection to the Honda, police observations of the vehicle at his address, his acknowledgment that he was its primary driver and what investigators described as inconsistencies in his statements, authorities concluded that Yassin was driving Honda-1 during the first shooting.
The complaint goes further, alleging investigators believe Yassin was also one of the two shooters firing from the Honda.
Second Gunfight Allegedly Unfolded on I-35W
The first shooting was only part of the violence investigators say unfolded that evening. Seconds after Honda-1 fled the River Ridge Boulevard shooting, Honda-2 traveled through the area and eventually entered northbound I-35W from Highway 13.
At approximately the same time, the white Hyundai Sonata traveled along an access road parallel to the interstate before entering northbound I-35W from Cliff Road. Investigators say the Sonata traveled substantially below highway speed until it became level with Honda-2.
A witness later told investigators she saw the black and white sedans traveling close together near Chalet Golf. She reported seeing a person emerge through the sunroof of the black sedan and fire at the white sedan. The witness then allegedly saw the driver of the white Sonata return fire at the black Honda. She told investigators she saw the driver holding a gun, heard shots, and observed smoke and debris coming from the white vehicle.
The driver of that white Hyundai is the subject of the previously filed case against Abdul.
Following that shooting, surveillance footage allegedly showed the Hyundai exit the interstate and travel to Riverfront Park and the U.S. Salt property. Two men were recorded getting out of the vehicle and moving around it before eventually running away and being picked up by another vehicle. Police subsequently recovered the abandoned Hyundai.
Nationwide Warrant Authorized for Yassin
Prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Yassin, citing "ongoing concerns for public safety." Court records show a judge found probable cause for the charges and authorized Yassin's arrest. Significantly, the warrant was authorized for nationwide execution, meaning authorities were permitted to apprehend him outside Minnesota.
Court records provided to Limitless Media show Yassin has since been taken into custody and appeared before the court. A release order filed August 12 sets bail at $100,000 without conditions or $80,000 with conditions.
Under the conditional bail option, Yassin is required to complete booking, remain in Minnesota unless he receives written court approval to leave, relinquish his passport, and have no contact with the alleged victim, S.A.Y. He is also prohibited from possessing or using firearms, ammunition, explosives or dangerous weapons and must surrender any firearms or weapons. Additional conditions include participation in a pretrial release program, remaining law-abiding, attending future court appearances and keeping the court and his attorney informed of his current address.
Additional court records from August 13, 2026, show that Yassin posted an $80,000 non-cash bond and has since been released from Dakota County Jail.
State Says Shooting Put Bystanders at Risk
In requesting significant bail, the Dakota County Attorney's Office cited two primary concerns. Prosecutors argued that the alleged drive-by shooting itself presents serious inherent public safety concerns. They also emphasized that the shooting occurred in a crowded area where gunfire could have injured or killed people other than the alleged intended target.
The State argued that the circumstances "easily could have led not just to the injury of the alleged intended target, but also innocent bystanders." The release order confirms Yassin is charged with all three felony counts and sets the two bail alternatives at $100,000 without conditions or $80,000 with conditions.
Previous Reporting
When the shooting occurred on February 13, Burnsville police initially responded to reports of a possible drive-by shooting outside Grand Slam. Numerous shell casings were recovered from the roadway, but no injuries were reported. Limitless Media News original reporting: Burnsville Police Investigating a Shooting on River Ridge Blvd Near Grand Slam in Burnsville; No Injuries Reported.
Early radio dispatches described a black sedan involved in the shooting, though investigators later determined through months of surveillance review, witness interviews, and forensic analysis that the incident involved multiple vehicles and two separate exchanges of gunfire.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities have not announced whether additional suspects connected to either shooting have been charged.
As with all criminal cases, the charges contained in the complaint are allegations. Abdul is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Written By: Will Wight
