A very disturbing senseless killing

A very disturbing senseless killing

(The slaying of a Young Somali, One Month ago, opposite my window makes our neighborhood more dangerous)

My family lived in Riverside Plaza since we arrived in Minneapolis three years ago as immigrants from Somalia. Our building on 6th street was so far considered one of the most peaceful; not many families with kids live there and not many youngsters loiter in the stairs like other buildings. If I came back from work at midnight I didn’t worry. If my wife was back from some wedding event early morning hours she didn’t worry. Ostensibly, all this was shattered on Friday evening April 11th 2008.

I was off work, enjoying a good dinner and watching TV at around 9:00 pm, when my niece who was sitting next to the window, cocked her head uncomfortably. She asked me whether I can hear the sound of gunfire. At the time I heard nothing and we dismissed the matter as her imagination. But our illusions didn’t last for more than a few minutes. Noticing some odd flashes, I stood up and looked out the window.

I couldn’t believe my eyes! I called my wife to the window; Fadumo was right about the gunfire. There were around half a dozen police cars parked across the street with red and blue lights flashing. A big commotion was developing around the Freewheel Bike near the intersection of Cedar Avenue and Sixth Street South. My worst fears came true. Something sinister happened a few hundred yards from our window.

We decided that I was the one to go and investigate. I hurriedly dressed and went downstairs. My first encounter with an acquaintance confirmed that a shooting occurred there. At first I was told two people got killed but finally I found out a young Somali boy was the victim and was shot to death. I rushed back and anounced the news to my family. For sometime we were all thoughtful and silent, then we went to the window and watched the commotion increase.

That night we slept with a heavy heart and since then I tried to read everything about the incident that I could get my hands on. Some articles in The Bridge and the Daily Planet treated the matter in detail. I talked to all the young people I knew. Everything pointed to the innocence of that slain youth. Just it made no sense. Why would anyone kill someone so nice. Perhaps this was Somali-style vengeance. They usually avenge the most worthhile relative of the killer. In fact this looked like a well planned act.

If it shows something it is that our neighborhood is getting more dangerous. This is the second disturbing case that is happening in the last few months. A few months ago, another African American boy was brutally murdered in the same spot, if I can remember well. For us immigrants this is a very painful thing and we hope the murders are solved as soon as possible.

Moving around at night is never the same for me again. It seems I am developing a habit of looking out that window whenever I am having dinner at home which is very often. Though we are not considering moving out of Riverside Plaza yet but it may take another unfortunate event to think twice. However we are not sure we can find a safer place in the city of our choice.

We have fled Somalia for fear of warring factions having seen more than our fair share of senseless killings. So far we felt safe here but now it seems this phenomenon is following us wherever we go.