Seattle police and prosecutors say surveillance video, witness reports and DNA evidence link a Renton man to a fatal shooting at a South Seattle hookah lounge, according to court records.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Abdulrahman M. Hussein, 30, with murder in the second degree in the Dec. 1 killing of Khalif Hussein at the Evangadi Hookah Lounge, located at 419 Rainier Avenue South.
The charge includes a firearm enhancement, which would add additional prison time if Hussein is convicted.
According to a certification for probable cause written by Seattle police, officers responded around 7:54 a.m. after multiple 911 callers reported gunfire at the business.
A witness reported seeing a man fire three to four shots at the front of the lounge.
Witnesses described the suspect as a Black male wearing a gray hoodie, black pants and a dark blue New York Yankees baseball cap.
Officers arrived within minutes and were flagged down as they entered the lounge.
Inside, they found Khalif Hussein in a bathroom at the rear of the business with at least one gunshot wound and severe bleeding.
Officers began providing aid until Seattle Fire medics arrived.
He was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
The King County Medical Examiner determined he died from a single gunshot wound that entered through his back and exited his upper chest.
Surveillance video obtained from the business shows the victim and the suspect briefly fighting just outside the front entrance.
The footage does not capture how the altercation began, but it shows the victim striking the suspect several times while the suspect is bent over.
The victim then walked back inside, attempting to close the front security gate.
Seconds later, police say the suspect stood up, pulled a handgun from his waistband or pocket, and fired several rounds through the gate and into the business.
Video from inside shows people running and hiding as shots are fired.
The victim is seen running toward the back of the lounge, where he was later found by officers.
The suspect’s face, clothing and hair are visible in multiple surveillance clips.
Police say earlier footage shows his hair worn loose, while later video shows it braided into two braids by an unidentified woman.
During the fight, the suspect’s hat comes off, revealing the braided hairstyle.
None of the witnesses interviewed at the scene reported knowing the shooter.
However, audio captured on surveillance video recorded voices calling the suspect “AB” as he was pushed out of the lounge before the shooting.
Additional video shows the suspect fleeing eastbound shortly after the shooting and attempting to access a Lime scooter near South Jackson Place and 16th Avenue South.
Police say the suspect removed his gray Nike hooded sweatshirt and discarded it in bushes near the scooter.
Detectives obtained business records from Lime’s parent company, Neutron Holdings, which showed the scooter was accessed using a Google email account tied to Hussein.
Investigators compared booking photos and Washington Department of Licensing records associated with Hussein and said they matched the suspect seen in surveillance footage.
The discarded sweatshirt was recovered and sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.
A mixed DNA profile from the inside cuff was linked through CODIS to Abdulrahman Mohamed Hussein as a possible match, according to court documents.
Hussein was arrested Dec. 24 in Renton for a DUI collision and booked into the SCORE Jail.
Detectives later contacted him at the jail and obtained a booking photo, which police say matched the suspect in the surveillance video.
Court records show Hussein has prior felony convictions in Oregon for theft and identity theft-related crimes.
Prosecutors cited his criminal history and the circumstances of the case in requesting bail.
A judge set bail at $3 million. Hussein remains in custody.
Hussein’s arraignment, where an initial plea will be entered, is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 14 in Room 1201 of the King County Courthouse.
Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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