A man who was walking in St. Paul’s Merriam Park neighborhood Saturday night was jumped by three men who repeatedly punched him and flashed a handgun, according to criminal charges.
The incident took place near 500 North Prior Avenue just after the man exited his vehicle and was walking to a location in the area, according to criminal complaints filed in Ramsey County District Court this week.
He told police that three man approached him and told him that he had something that belonged to them, according to the charges.
When the man said he didn’t know what they were talking about, they reportedly started punching him. The man said he fought back until one of his attackers flashed a handgun, according to the charges.
Then they took the man’s wallet and left in a red Chevrolet Impala, but not before the man was able to note the vehicle’s license plate, according to the charges.
Minneapolis police spotted the vehicle later that evening and pulled it over.
Ahmed Farah Roble, 26, Khadar Abdi Isse, 26, and Walid Abdirahman Mohamud, 23, were inside, according to court documents.
The man who reported being robbed identified Roble as the individual who took his wallet, Isse as the assailant who repeatedly punched him, and Mohamud as the man who flashed the gun, charges say.
Police later found a Colt .380-caliber handgun on the floorboard in the squad where Mohamud had been sitting following his arrest, the complaint said. Mohamud also reportedly had the man’s driver’s license and medical cards on him.
Roble spoke to officers about the allegations, saying he, Isse and Mohamud had been at a music store near the crime scene earlier that evening, adding that Isse got into an argument with a man over music, the complaint said.
However, he reportedly denied assaulting anyone or seeing anyone possess a gun.
Isse and Mohamud declined to make statements to police.
The three men are each charged with one count of first-degree aggravated robbery.
They made their court first appearance on the charges Tuesday morning. No attorney was listed for them in court records.