Was Rochester Fatal Shooting Justified?

Rochester, MN (KROC AM News) -  A decision is expected to be made by Wednesday on whether a Rochester man will be charged in the fatal shooting of a city teenager.

Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem could file murder or manslaughter charges against 25-year-old Alexander Weiss. He shot 17-year-old Muhammed Rahim in the chest at close range Sunday morning.

Police Capt. John Sherwin says Rahim had crashed his car at the intersection of East River Rd and 31st St NE. Sherwin says Weiss stopped to see if Rahim needed assistance. That’s when Rahim backed into the Weiss vehicle and the two drivers got into a confrontation. Sherwin says  Weiss grabbed his 9mm handgun from his vehicle and moments later, shot Rahim. Weiss then called 911 and was still there when officers arrived and took him into custody on a 2nd-degree murder charge. Sherwin says Weiss has a permit for the gun. He was on his way to referee a youth basketball game.

Court records show Weiss has no criminal history. But Rahim was facing prosecution in Freeborn County for a reported incident in October involving a teenager he used to date. She says he had threatened to kill her and showed up with a friend at her home in Alden and began breaking windows, causing $3500 in damage. The teen and her mother were there at the time but were not hurt.

Sherwin says investigators are trying to find the driver of a late model red Honda CRV spotted near the scene of the shooting to see if the person saw anything that may be related to the case.

News update:  Truck crashes into area school building.

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