The Lakeville case began with a dispute over a missing flashlight attachment on a handgun.
LAKEVILLE, Minn. — A former Amazon fulfillment center worker has been sentenced to 128 months in prison after admitting he fatally shot a co-worker during a 2024 parking lot dispute over a missing gun accessory.
Mohamed Aden Hared, 26, pleaded guilty in January to second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony in the death of 22-year-old Ahmed Ibrahim Cariif. The shooting happened June 29, 2024, outside the Amazon fulfillment center in Dakota County, after the men arrived together for an overnight shift.
Authorities said Hared, Cariif and a third co-worker had carpooled to the warehouse at 9800 217th St. W. Hared had brought a handgun and left it in the vehicle while the group worked. During a break around 1 a.m., Hared checked the vehicle and noticed a flashlight attachment was missing from the gun. He accused the other two men of taking it. Both denied it.
The dispute continued during another break around 4 a.m., when the men returned to the parking lot to search again. A witness told investigators that he suggested asking security to review surveillance video. Hared refused and kept accusing the men, according to court records. The witness said Hared told them, “I want my flashlight back. No one’s going home today.”
Investigators said Hared and Cariif got into two separate physical fights. During the second fight, Hared pulled out the handgun. A first shot hit a nearby unoccupied vehicle. Authorities said Cariif and the witness pleaded with Hared not to shoot before a second shot struck Cariif in the chest. Police found Cariif between parked vehicles, and first responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
Hared told police he acted in self-defense and said the shooting was accidental. Investigators said surveillance footage and witness statements undercut that account. Court records said video showed Hared threw the first punch during the first fight and had chances to leave the confrontation before the fatal shot was fired.
An autopsy found the bullet struck Cariif’s heart, lung and aorta. Hared was first charged in July 2024 with second-degree intentional murder. He later pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony, ending the case without a trial.
Dakota County District Judge Richelle Wahi sentenced Hared to 128 months in prison. He received credit for about 700 days already served while the case was pending. Prosecutors said the killing grew from a minor dispute into deadly workplace violence.
Hared remains in custody pending transfer to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. No further criminal proceedings are currently scheduled in the case.
Author note: Last updated June 1, 2026.