Family holding rally for slain Augsburg student

Ahmednur Ali
Ahmednur Ali played soccer during his first year at Augsburg College. He was shot to death last September while working as a youth mentor at a Minneapolis community center.
Courtesy of Augsburg College

The family of a slain Augsburg College student will hold a rally in downtown Minneapolis Friday, urging police and Somali community members to work together to solve his killing.

Ahmednur Ali was shot to death last September, on the first day of his job mentoring children at a Minneapolis community center. His suspected killer was released from jail last week after key witnesses changed their stories or fled the state.

Ramadan Sheikh-Osman
The case against murder suspect Ramadan Sheikh-Osman was dismissed Monday. Sheikh-Osman, 17, was charged with killing Augsburg College student Ahmednur Ali last fall outside of a Minneapolis community center.
Photo Courtesy of Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

Ali's family members believe Somali gang members have scared the witnesses out of testifying.

But the family also thinks Minneapolis police should offer protection to witnesses and do more to bring their son's killer to justice.

At least eight young Somali-American men have been killed in the Twin Cities since December 2007. Most of those cases remain open.

Police say they need community members to share what they know with investigators.

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