Trial date set for Seward Market shooting suspect

by Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio

Minneapolis — A trial date has been set for one of the two teenaged suspects in the Seward Market triple homicide.

The trial of Mahdi Hassan Ali is scheduled to begin on Sept. 27.

In the meantime, his lawyer, Frederick Goetz is trying to prove that Ali should be tried as juvenile.

Earlier this week, Goetz filed an affidavit from a woman who claims to be Ali's mother who says he is 15- years old.

Goetz says his investigation into the boy's age is ongoing, but if the woman's story is true, Ali will first have to go through a certification process to determine if he should be tried as a juvenile or as an adult.

A judge has not yet been assigned to officiate the case of the other shooting suspect, 17-year-old Ahmed Ali -- who's not related to Mahdi.

The two are accused of killing three men at a Minneapolis convenience store during a robbery attempt.

Mahdi Ali's lawyer, Fred Goetz is scheduled to update the court on the case next month.