Man faces federal arson charge for EP townhouse fire that injured five

A 23-year-old Eden Prairie man now faces federal and state arson charges in connection with a May 31 townhouse fire that injured five people, including a 9-month-old infant.

Abdirahman Abdi Abdullahi, the ex-boyfriend of one of the residents and the infant’s father, is accused of setting the fire at a townhome in the 8500 block of Cardiff Lane in Eden Prairie. He has been charged with one count of arson causing injury, a felony, after setting fire to the residence with four children inside, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger in a media release on Wednesday.

Abdullahi had previously been charged with first-degree arson, a felony, in the same case, where his name was inaccurately recorded as Abdullahi Abdi Abdullahi Jr.

According to a June 27 federal affidavit filed by ATF Special Agent John T. Miller, who works in the St. Paul Field Division and is currently assigned to the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force, the investigation into the fire included surveillance footage, cell tower records, witness statements, and photographs.

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Emergency responders found one adult man and three children outside but were told the infant was still inside. Firefighters rescued the unresponsive infant from a smoky second-floor bedroom, and the infant began breathing en route to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. All victims were treated and released on May 31, except for the infant, who was released the next day. The house sustained significant damage and will need to be demolished.

Investigators learned that the infant’s mother lived at the home and that Abdullahi, who was on probation for violating a restraining order against contacting her, was the infant’s father. On May 28, Abdullahi sent her a threatening message via CashApp, stating, “when I see u I’m smoke u.”

Surveillance footage from a nearby business showed a man carrying a gas can shortly before the fire, later identified as Abdullahi. Additional footage from a Speedway store showed him filling a red gas can with gasoline on the morning of the fire. Investigators traced the red Jeep Cherokee seen in the footage to a rental agreement and linked it to Abdullahi through cell tower records and other surveillance footage.

When Abdullahi was arrested, officers found clothing matching what he wore in the surveillance footage, along with items that smelled like gasoline.

Abdullahi was transferred from Hennepin County Jail to federal custody on July 1 and made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung the same day. He was ordered to remain in custody pending a formal detention hearing scheduled for July 8.

The press release stated that the case is the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF and the Eden Prairie Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William C. Mattessich is prosecuting the case.

A city spokesperson said Wednesday that the city is aware of the federal charges against Abdullahi and is not issuing a formal statement on the matter.