Wamuzi News Ke
In a dramatic development, FBI agents arrested a 20-year-old Kenyan man in Nairobi and extradited him to the United States. He faces stern charges in Seattle for the fatal shooting of 67-year-old Yuam Ming in the parking lot of a Costco store in January 2024.
FBI’s Cross-Continental Capture.
The suspect, identified as Salman S. Haji, fled the country five days after the shooting. Once a social media post connected him to the crime, he boarded a flight from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Months later, following a joint operation between the FBI, Kenya’s Elite Policing Unit, and Interpol, Haji was apprehended in Nairobi and escorted back to Seattle. He is now in King County Jail with bail set at $5 million (approximately KSh 647.5 million) .
Allegations Paint a Grim Scene.
Court filings allege Haji and his accomplice, Ilyiss Abdi, 20, executed a violent dual-crime spree that began with the carjacking of a Porsche SUV in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.
They allegedly used the stolen vehicle in the robbery attempt at Costco. Surveillance footage indicates Haji fatally shot Ming while she tried to protect her sister during an attempted purse snatching .
Brutal Evidence and Flight from Justice.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage, dashcam recordings, fingerprint matches, and witness testimony linking Haji and Abdi firmly to the crime. After the murder, police traced the abandoned SUV to a church parking lot, along with credit card purchases at a nearby store. Haji fled the nation shortly after his face appeared online .
Legal Proceedings Underway.
Upon his return, Haji faces charges of murder, robbery, and attempted robbery. U.S. prosecutors describe the act as intentional, with alleged displays of reckless disregard for human life. Meanwhile, his co-defendant, Abdi, was arrested in May in a separate shooting case.
He is also being held on a $6 million bail and has pleaded not guilty. No court date has been publicly scheduled for Haji .
