Robbinsdale man charged with murder of Fridley teen in death linked to marijuana deal

A 19-year-old Robbinsdale man was charged with second-degree murder Thursday in the killing of a teenager who was found lying on a residential street in Fridley early Monday.

Zakariya Hassan Ahmed is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 3 in Anoka County District Court.

A marijuana deal was reportedly behind the death of 17-year-old Mohanned Abdul Hafiz Abukhdeir.

The victim's cellphone was found at the scene on the 1300 block of Meadowmoor Drive NE. Authorities said he had used the phone to communicate with Ahmed about a marijuana sale late Sunday night.

"This is another example of drugs and violence taking the youth of our community," said Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo.

Shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, a neighbor heard two quick gunshots and spotted a silver or gray Toyota RAV4 speeding away with its headlights off, the charges said.

Abukhdeir's body was found just after 1 a.m. He had been shot twice, in the neck and back of his skull, the medical examiner's office said.

According to the charges, Ahmed contacted Minneapolis police on Tuesday to report that his vehicle had been stolen at a park on Monday and that his cellphone had been taken "a couple of days prior." On Wednesday, Minneapolis fire crews responded to a call about a silver RAV4 on fire, and a witness spotted a person running from the scene.

Ahmed told Anoka County law enforcement officers that his phone had been stolen Sunday afternoon at a park in Minneapolis. He also told authorities that his vehicle had been stolen on Monday, but that was hours after Abukhdeir's body had been found, charges say.

Phone records showed that multiple calls were made from Ahmed's phone to family members after the time that he reported his phone stolen. Additionally, late Sunday night his phone was traced to two cell towers near where Abukhdeir's body was found. Records also showed that on Monday, Ahmed's phone was tracked to a cell tower near his workplace, the charges said.