A 22-year-old Minneapolis man who was among a group of alleged gang members banned from the Minnesota State Fair earlier this year is now facing criminal charges tied to a shooting that left a victim fighting for his life. Police say Imran Abdi Habib drove suspects to and from a shooting on Washington Avenue North in Minneapolis, then falsely reported his own car stolen in an apparent attempt to dodge charges.
Habib is now charged with aiding an offender after the fact, according to FOX 9. The outlet reports that the shooting victim was hospitalized in critical condition and required multiple surgeries for two punctured lungs, a lacerated liver and other internal injuries, according to authorities.
Court records cited by the station show Habib was booked into the Hennepin County jail on Nov. 2 and posted bond two days later, on Nov. 4. His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2.
Habib's Name Surfaced Earlier in a State Fair Gang Crackdown
Habib is alleged to be a member of the Muddy gang, one of two groups — Muddy and Ville — that the Minnesota Attorney General and the Ramsey County Attorney sued back in August, per the same FOX 9 report. The lawsuits followed social media posts that summer showing the two gangs allegedly planning a violent confrontation at the Minnesota State Fair.
Habib was among 10 alleged gang members named in that effort. The Minnesota Attorney General's own account of the agreements states that seven of the 10 individuals named in the lawsuits entered a court-enforceable agreement not to attend the fair or enter the designated safety zone.
What the Court Actually Ordered
Separately, the Minnesota Attorney General's office announced that on Aug. 20, the Ramsey County District Court found three individuals to be members of the Muddy gang and barred them from specified conduct at the fair and within the safety zone. Separately, seven individuals entered agreements barring them from attending the fair or entering the safety zone. The court found by clear and convincing evidence that Muddy met Minnesota's statutory definition of a criminal gang, according to the order.
State officials pointed to several social media posts from July and August, including one headlined “Muddy vs Ville,” as part of the evidence behind the legal action, according to the Attorney General's release. The office also noted that three people were shot and wounded in a parking lot about a block from the State Fairgrounds on the final night of the 2024 fair, and that the shooter in that case pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
For now, the Washington Avenue North shooting case against Habib moves forward on its own track, with his next court date set for Dec. 2.
