One (Somali Gang Member) charged with beating St. Paul man with bat; 5 still sought

A 21-year-old St. Paul man was charged Friday with second-degree assault for taking part in the bloody beating of a man at a downtown gas station last week.

Ahmed Hirsi is being held in the Ramsey County jail. He surrendered to authorities Thursday night.

Ahmed Hirsi

Meanwhile, St. Paul police released pictures of surveillance video of the attack and are asking for help in identifying five suspects who were with Hirsi.

Surveillance photos of attack

The motive for the beating might have been retribution from an earlier incident, but that wasn't clear Friday, said police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell.

According to police and the criminal complaint, filed in Ramsey County District Court:

Officers went to the SuperAmerica at 296 E. 7th Street about 3 a.m. on May 25 after receiving a report of an attack.

Another attacker

They found a 39-year-old St. Paul man, Edwin Daniel, lying on the ground, bleeding. Daniel, a shuttle driver for the downtown St. Paul Crowne Plaza hotel, regularly stops at the SuperAmerica to fill up the vans.

While Daniel was outside the store, one of the suspects wielded a metal bat and chased him inside. The other suspects followed with another bat and cornered Daniel. They beat him repeatedly and knocked over store displays.

Daniel suffered serious head injuries, including a fractured bone and multiple cuts.

A witness said that the assault was unprovoked and that bats were "flying through the air."

The suspects drove off in two vehicles, one of which was registered to Hirsi. Police say the men are part of a Somali gang, the St. Pistol Boys.

Daniel was taken to Regions Hospital, where he received many stitches and staples for his injuries. Police interviewed him while he was there. He couldn't talk because of his injuries, but when police showed him photographs he was able to write down that Hirsi was one of his assailants.

Daniel was released from the hospital Wednesday.

The beating might have been an act of revenge. Some of the suspects had been in the store on May 20 and were causing problems, a store employee said. Daniel also was there and told them to leave. The suspects left after a brief struggle.


The beating happened five days later.
When authorities interviewed Hirsi on Friday, he admitted being at the scene but denied any involvement. He is set to make his first court appearance Monday. Bail was set at $100,000.

Source: StarTribune.com