On January 25, 2015, a tragic incident occurred in Eagan, Minnesota, resulting in the death of 13-year-old Suhayb Hassan. Suhayb was accidentally shot by his 15-year-old brother while they were playing a game of 'cops and robbers' with their father's handgun. The boys were home alone with their 11-year-old sister when they discovered the 9mm pistol, which was initially unloaded but had a loaded magazine nearby.
At some point during their play, the gun was loaded and subsequently thought to be unloaded. The older brother unintentionally fired a round that struck Suhayb in the chest.
The 15-year-old brother initially reported to emergency dispatchers that Suhayb had fallen and stabbed himself while running with a knife. However, upon further questioning by the police, he admitted to accidentally shooting his brother. The police described the incident as a 'horrible accident' and stated that no arrests were expected. The investigation results were to be presented to the Dakota County Attorney's Office for review.
Suhayb was an eighth-grader at Blackhawk Middle School in Eagan. The school notified students of his death and provided additional counselors to support them. The incident marked the second tragedy for the school within a year, following the death of another student, Patrick Schoonover, in November 2014.
