A graduation celebration at the University of Minnesota’s Mariucci Arena was shattered Friday night when gunfire erupted outside, leaving two people injured and a 20-year-old man facing serious charges.
The incident occurred around:20 p.m. just after Wayzata High School’s graduation ceremony concluded. According to authorities, Hamza Abdirashid Said of Coon Rapids allegedly opened fire during an altercation among several males outside the arena. Surveillance footage captured Said pulling a modified Glock 17—equipped with a “switch” to allow rapid fire—and shooting multiple rounds. A 49-year-old man, the father of a graduate, was struck in the head while standing with his family. He suffered a fractured skull and brain bleed but has since been released from the hospital A second victim, a 19-year-old man, was shot in the leg and has also been discharged.
Police quickly apprehended Said, who now faces felony charges including first- and second-degree assault and illegal possession of a machine gun Officials have not identified a motive, and school leaders say there is no confirmed connection between the shooter or the second victim and the graduation ceremony itself.
Wayzata Public Schools has responded by offering counseling and reviewing security protocols, while state officials condemned the violence and assured families of ongoing support.
