In the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota, on the afternoon of March 30, 2021, a violent confrontation unfolded inside the Arcade Auto Body shop. Mohamed Jama Samatar, a 36-year-old male, was fatally shot at the automotive center located on Arcade Street. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that Samatar died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
The shooting was not a random act of violence; investigators quickly determined it was a targeted and retaliatory killing connected to a prior gang-related death.
Surveillance footage from the auto body shop was crucial in piecing together the events of that afternoon. The video captured a man, later identified as 31-year-old Mohamed Mohamud Farah of Minneapolis, entering the business from an alley. Farah confronted Samatar, and the two went into an office. Inside the office, Farah drew a handgun and shot Samatar six times at close range, including a fatal shot to the head. The sound of loud equipment in the shop masked the gunshots, and other workers present were unaware of the brutal attack until after the fact.
The investigation into Samatar’s death pointed towards a motive of revenge. It was revealed that Farah believed Samatar was responsible for the 2008 killing of his younger brother, known as "Shorty". Samatar had been a person of interest in that earlier investigation but was never charged. Farah had long held a grudge, and members of the Somali community informed police that a man nicknamed "Barre," which was an alias for Farah, was involved in Samatar's death.
Following an investigation, Mohamed Mohamud Farah was arrested and charged with intentional second-degree murder. On August 11, 2021, he pleaded guilty to the charge. During his sentencing, the court heard statements from Samatar’s family expressing their profound grief and anger. Farah was ultimately sentenced to 27 years in prison for the murder of Mohamed Jama Samatar. He is expected to serve approximately 18 years of that sentence in prison, with the remainder on supervised release.
