In the early hours of a Wednesday morning in Moorhead, Minnesota, the life of a 24-year-old Black / African American man, Abdullahi Mohamed Abdullahi, was tragically cut short. On May 05, 2021, what began as a routine shift as a taxi driver ended in a fatal encounter that authorities would later describe as a planned robbery. The initial discovery was a single-vehicle crash around 3:30 a.m. in the southern part of the city.
First responders found Abdullahi deceased inside his cab.
It was quickly determined that the crash was not the cause of his death. Instead, Abdullahi had suffered a gunshot wound. The investigation that followed involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Moorhead and Fargo Police Departments, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Clay County Sheriff's Office. Their collaborative efforts led to the swift identification and arrest of two suspects.
The first to be taken into custody was an 18-year-old male from Fargo named Willie Sparkman Jr. His arrest occurred on the evening of the same day as the incident. Shortly after, a 17-year-old girl was also arrested in connection with the crime. Investigators determined that the two had called for a taxi with the intention of robbing the driver. They did not know Abdullahi personally. During the course of the robbery, Abdullahi was shot.
Sparkman later admitted to police that he had shot the taxi driver, claiming that it was not his intention for it to happen. He stated that he and the teenage girl had planned the robbery because they were in need of money for rent. Sparkman faced charges of second-degree unintentional murder while committing a felony and first-degree aggravated robbery. The 17-year-old female accomplice was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery, and attempted aggravated robbery. Due to her age, her name was not publicly released. The incident was not only a personal tragedy for Abdullahi's family but also a shock to the Moorhead community.
