In the quiet, early morning hours of January 14, 2018, in Rochester, Minnesota, a confrontation following a minor traffic incident ended in the tragic death of 17-year-old Muhammed Raheem. An Iraqi male, Raheem and his family had fled their war-torn home in 2012, seeking a safer life in the United States. The series of events that would end his life began around 8:20 a.m. at the intersection of East River Road and 31st Street NE.
Raheem was driving a car with three friends when he slid into a ditch. As he reversed out, his vehicle collided with a car driven by 25-year-old Alexander Weiss, who had stopped after witnessing the initial incident.
Following the collision, both Raheem and a passenger from his car exited their vehicle and a confrontation with Weiss ensued. Accounts from witnesses, including Raheem's friends, state that there was a verbal and physical altercation. During the dispute, Weiss, who had a permit to carry a firearm, retrieved his 9-millimeter handgun. According to Raheem's friends, after Weiss brandished the weapon, Raheem dared him to shoot. Weiss fired a single shot, striking Raheem in the chest at close range. One of his passengers attempted to apply pressure to the wound, but the injury proved fatal. Raheem was transported to St. Mary's Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Alexander Weiss was arrested at the scene and was later charged with second-degree murder. He claimed that he acted in self-defense, stating that he was in fear for his life. The case against Weiss went to trial twice, but both proceedings ended in a mistrial after the juries were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. After the two hung juries, the Olmsted County Attorney's Office announced in November 2019 that they would not be pursuing a third trial and the murder charge against Alexander Weiss was dismissed. The prosecutor expressed a belief that Weiss's actions were unjustified but acknowledged the unlikelihood of a different outcome in a subsequent trial.
