Sentence topping 13 years for road rage murder on Minneapolis parkway with illegal gun

A New Brighton man has received a sentence topping 13 years for a late-night road rage murder on a Minneapolis parkway.

Dhaha Hayi Hassan, 25, was sentenced Thursday in Hennepin County District Court after he was found guilty during a trial in October of second-degree murder and a felony firearm charge for possessing a gun without a serial number in connection with the shooting of Randy John Burris Sr., 34, in November 2023.

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Hassan is expected to serve about 8⅓ years in prison and the balance of his 13½-year term on supervised release.

According to the criminal complaint:

Shortly before midnight on Nov. 17, 2023, officers found Burris down on West River Parkway near the Franklin Avenue Bridge with gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen.

Burris, of Minneapolis, “pointed in the direction of an individual later identified as Hassan” when asked who shot him. Hassan was arrested, and an officer found in his waistband a Polymer 80 handgun, which did not have serial numbers.

Witnesses told officers that Hassan’s car was driving the wrong way and blocking traffic on West River Parkway, which is narrow and allows only one vehicle to pass at a time.

Burris, who had on a neck brace due to a recent vertebrae injury, left his vehicle and told Hassan that he needed to reverse. When Hassan refused, the men began to argue.

A witness approached Hassan’s vehicle, and all three began to argue. Hassan tried to open his door and step out, but Burris pushed the door shut. Hassan then shot Burris four times. He died shortly after officers and emergency medical personnel arrived on scene.

Officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from Hassan’s car and believed he was impaired.

As he was driving, Hassan said, he came across an unknown individual who was looking for someone and he joined the search. He admitted driving the wrong way.

Hassan claimed Burris was acting aggressively toward him. He said he chambered a round at some point after Burris got out of his car. Hassan said he pulled the trigger and never saw Burris with a weapon. He also said that he is CPR certified but didn’t attempt to help Burris.