Arrest Made In Eden Prairie Homecoming Game Shooting

EDEN PRAIRIE, MN — Eden Prairie police arrested the man they say shot two people outside the high school's homecoming football game last week.

Officers took Adam Abdihakeem Adam, 18, of St. Louis Park, into custody without incident around 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Highway 55 and Penn Avenue in Minneapolis, the department said.

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He is being held in the Hennepin County Jail on probable cause for second-degree assault.

"The arrest today is an important step in this investigation," Police Chief Matt Sackett said. "I'm incredibly proud of our officers and investigators who have worked nonstop alongside our law enforcement partners to identify those responsible and hold them accountable."

Police said the investigation remains active and that more arrests or charges are possible.

The shooting happened around 8:40 p.m. Oct. 2 during Eden Prairie's homecoming game against Minnetonka.

Before the gunfire, a large fight broke out on the west side of Aerie Stadium, police said.

Officers broke it up and removed several people from the stadium grounds. Shortly afterward, officers responded to a shooting in a parking lot on the north side of the high school.

The gunfire wounded two people. Police said the two, ages 18 and 17, are Somali males from St. Paul who are known to law enforcement.

Neither attends Eden Prairie or Minnetonka schools, according to police.

The 18-year-old left Hennepin Healthcare the next day, while the 17-year-old remained hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said earlier this week.

Police believe the shooting was targeted and gang-related.

Officials halted the game early in the fourth quarter with Eden Prairie leading 21-14 and evacuated the stadium. Eden Prairie High School canceled its homecoming dance the next night.

Since the shooting, Eden Prairie police investigators have led a multi-agency effort to identify and track down those involved, according to the department.

Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case called for a regional task force to address gang activity among East African youth, saying police believe the homecoming shooting is connected to Somali gang activity. Case said the city and Eden Prairie Schools are also reviewing security at large school events, including football games.

Eden Prairie Schools Superintendent Josh Swanson condemned online hate aimed at the Somali community after the shooting. "The heinous and sickening actions of a few do not define an entire community," he wrote in a message to families.

Anyone with information about the homecoming shooting is asked to call 911, email police at Police@edenprairiemn.gov or call the department's anonymous tip line at 952-949-8477.