In a heartbreaking turn of events that shook the Somali community in Kansas City, Missouri, 14-year-old Abdurahman Abdulaziz was tragically killed on the night of April 30, 2021. He and his 16-year-old brother, Abdulwahid Abdulaziz, were returning home from Ramadan services at the Somali Center of Kansas City when they were gunned down outside their apartment building near 8th and Olive streets around 11:30 p.m.
Both brothers were pronounced dead at the scene.
The two teenagers were remembered as promising young men and leaders within their community and at their mosque. Friends and fellow members of the mosque recalled the brothers as always smiling and brightening the days of others. They were active in their faith, often leading prayers, and had aspirations of becoming imams. Beyond their religious involvement, they were known to enjoy playing basketball with friends. Their deaths were described as a devastating loss that would have a lasting effect on the local community.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly focused on a domestic situation involving a family member. The suspect was identified as the victims' older brother, 25-year-old Hanad A. Abdiaziz. According to family members, Hanad had a history of making threats against the family and was considered a danger to them and the community. Court records indicated that he had previously threatened to kill his parents and had assaulted his father in 2019. The boys' mother told police she believed Hanad would have killed other family members that night if his gun had not jammed. A 10-year-old brother witnessed the shooting and saw Hanad, who was wearing a black ski mask, reload his gun before the younger boy ran into the home for safety.
An arrest warrant was issued for Hanad Abdiaziz. The day after the killings, on the evening of May 1, 2021, Kansas City police located him near Missouri Avenue and Maple Boulevard. When officers attempted to make contact, Hanad presented a short-barreled rifle. An officer fired his service weapon, striking and killing him. The investigation into the officer-involved shooting was handed over to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, while the Kansas City Police Department continued to investigate the murders of the two teenage brothers.
