LAKEVILLE, Minn. — An Amazon fulfillment center employee has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a coworker during an argument over a missing flashlight attachment.
Mohamed A. Hared, 24, was taken into custody on Saturday following the incident in the parking lot of the Amazon facility in Dakota County, Minnesota. The victim, Ahmed Ibrahim Cariif, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a probable cause affidavit, police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting the shooting at around 4 a.m. They found Cariif lying on the ground between two cars with Hared standing nearby, holding a gun. A third man, identified as a witness, had also called 911 and was waiting inside the facility.
Hared told police that he and the victim, along with the witness, had car-pooled to work and that they had discovered the missing flashlight attachment earlier in the evening. When they went to search for it during their break, Hared claimed that Cariif became aggressive and attacked him. Hared said he shot Cariif in self-defense after being chased and cornered.
However, the witness’s testimony, supported by security camera footage, contradicted Hared’s claims. The witness stated that during an altercation between Hared and Cariif, Hared pulled out his gun and shot at Cariif twice, striking him in the chest.
Hared is currently being held in Dakota County Jail on a $1 million bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 15.
The incident has raised concerns about workplace safety and the presence of firearms in the Amazon fulfillment center. Amazon representatives have not responded to requests for comment.