Background: The scene of the house fire in Eden Prairie, Minn., that was set by Abdirahman Abdi Abdullahi on May 31, 2024 (U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota). Inset: Abdirahman Abdi Abdullahi (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office).
A Minnesota man who threatened his ex-girlfriend before setting her townhome on fire learned his fate in court.
Abdirahman Abdi Abdullahi, 23, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to arson resulting in personal injury in connection with a residential fire in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Minnesota, Abdullahi admitted that he intended to kill his ex-girlfriend when he set her townhome on fire on May 31, 2024. She was not at home at the time, but her new boyfriend, his three young children, and the woman's 9-month-old infant were inside.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Minnesota-based news outlet Bring Me the News, Eden Prairie firefighters responded to the townhome fire at 11:27 a.m. and saw a man outside with three children, ages 1, 3, and 6 years old. He told first responders that there was also a 9-month-old infant inside, but he thought one of the women who also lived there had brought the baby out.
Firefighters found the infant, who was treated at the hospital and survived.
Prosecutors said Abdullahi was the ex-boyfriend of the infant's mother, and she had a protective order against him. He was on probation for violating that order at the time of the fire. Two days before the fire, Abdullahi sent the woman a text, telling her, "when I see u I'm smoke u." He threatened to kill her in person the same day.
According to prosecutors, Abdullahi used a rental car, rented by a third party, to fill up a red gas can with gas the day of the fire. After parking the car at a lot down the street from the townhome, he donned plastic gloves and carried the full gas can and a bag of clothing to the home. He doused the clothing in gasoline, then set the clothing on fire at the entrance of the home.
The townhome was destroyed, and there was fire damage to the surrounding properties.
Abdullahi pleaded guilty to arson resulting in personal injury. At sentencing, the court noted that he "intended to cause the death" of his ex-girlfriend and pointed out the "calculated, cold" planning that went into the crime. Prosecutors said the court followed sentencing guidelines for attempted murder.
Abdullahi was sentenced to 180 months, or 15 years, in prison.