Man who shot a police officer in Minneapolis identified

Authorities have released the name of the man suspected of shooting a Minneapolis police officer in the southern Whittier neighborhood this week.

Mustafa Ahmed Mohamed, 35, was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds in the 2100 block of Blaisdell Avenue, according to a news release from the Hennepin County Coroner’s Office.

Authorities say that as police responded to reports of a double shooting at an apartment building on Thursday, an officer, Jamal Mitchell, 36, was ambushed and shot. Authorities later found Osman Said Jimale, 32, dead in an apartment. He had been shot multiple times. Bonney Bowman, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said her agency is still waiting for the results of ballistics tests to confirm whether Mohamed also shot Jimale.

Minneapolis police received a call at 5:15 p.m. Thursday that two people had been shot in an apartment at 2221 Blaisdell Ave S.

About a block from the building, Mitchell stopped to help an injured man later identified as Mohamed.

“While rendering aid to an injured man, the injured man pulled out a gun, murdered Officer Mitchell, and continued to shoot him after he fell to the ground,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

Two Minneapolis police officers fired their weapons during the incident. Mohamed was shot and died at the scene.

Mitchell died in the hospital from multiple gunshot wounds. Another Minneapolis police officer was shot, was treated, and released from the hospital. A Minneapolis firefighter was also injured. Another man, who the BCA said was a bystander, was shot in his vehicle. He was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Officers searched the home and found Jimale’s body and another person who was injured and taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. The condition of the two men in the hospital was not yet known on Saturday evening.

Mitchell, of Maple Grove, was a father and engaged. O’Hara asked people to keep Mitchell’s family and friends in their prayers.

Court records show that in addition to a charge of trespassing and some traffic offenses, Mohamed was convicted twice of burglary – in 2007 and 2008. Arrest warrants were issued in both cases, although he had already been convicted and sentenced. Court records do not provide further details.

The Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, Law Enforcement Labor Services and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association announced Friday that they have partnered to raise funds for Mitchell’s family. They said it is the official and only fundraising platform approved by the city of Minneapolis and Mitchell’s family, and all proceeds will go to his family.

Donations can be made at LELS.ORG/benevolent-fund or by mail to the Law Enforcement Labor Services Benevolent Fund, Attention: Officer Mitchell, 2700 Freeway Blvd., Suite 700, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430.

The incident is currently being investigated by the BCA.