Gang member linked to Twin Cities graduation violence sentenced

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis gang member caught with a machine gun amid shootings at two Twin Cities graduation ceremonies in 2025 has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison.

Minneapolis gang member sentenced

What we know:

Amiir Mawlid Ali was sentenced to nearly three years in prison after being convicted at trial in April on a count of possession of a machine gun.

The charge dates back to his arrest in June 2025 that happened amid two shootings at graduation ceremonies in the Twin Cities metro.

The backstory:

Police arrested Ali during a traffic stop for alleged traffic violations on June 3, 2025. An officer recognized Ali as a member of the Muddy street gang.

In an affidavit filed with Ali's criminal complaint, police said an officer recognized Ali as someone who was "associated with multiple recent gang-related shootings." During the stop, officers said Ali tried to run away.

When asked where they were headed, the occupants of the vehicle told officers they were headed to the Edina graduation ceremony. In the days before, there had been a shooting at a graduation ceremony in Wayzata.

While in the vehicle, officers said they noticed Ali repeatedly looking down at the floor and moving items with his feet. After removing everyone from the vehicle, police said they found a Glock pistol equipped with a device known as a "switch." A switch is an attachment to a semi-automatic weapon that allows it to fire fully automatically.

Prosecutors say Ali's DNA was later found on the gun.

Big picture view:

Ali was initially released from jail after his 36-hold expired, but then arrested again following another shooting at the Burnsville High School graduation ceremony.

Gang connections

Local perspective:

The Muddy street gang was later named in the lawsuit filed to prevent gang members from attending the Minnesota State Fair.

Members of the Muddy gang and The Ville gang were barred from attending the fair under the lawsuit.

What they're saying:

In a provided statement, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said: "The defendant possessed an extremely dangerous weapon that is capable of extreme damage. Today’s sentence ensures that this defendant is held accountable for the public safety threat that he posed to the community."

"While violent crime rates are down across the board, we have seen far too much gang violence in the Twin Cities over the past few months," added FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "As we work relentlessly to secure our neighborhoods, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and our state and local partners continue to prioritize investigations of gang members driving violence with illegal firearms. Today’s sentence should be a message to gang members across the state—when you carry an illegal firearm, justice will find you."