Attorney Joe Tamburino is questioning the lack of involvement from city officials after a potential bomb threat was discovered in Minneapolis. After Minneapolis police received a report about a dangerous situation involving guns, they discovered two men with an SUV filled with weapons, including guns and bomb-making materials. Attorney Tamburino, who represents the man who made the anonymous tip, wonders why the city isn’t addressing this dangerous situation more seriously.
On May 11, an anonymous citizen saw 2 men in a vehicle throwing food wrappers out the window. After the well-meaning citizen asked the men to pick up their trash, they got out of their car and began to fight with him, indicating they had guns in their SUV. The man called 911 to report the suspicious, threatening behavior. The Minneapolis police arrived at the scene, spotting the men and their vehicle near the intersection of North 44th Avenue and Humboldt Avenue North.
Inside the vehicle, officers found a hand grenade, handgun, multiple assault rifles, magazines, a large amount of ammunition, as well as computers, drone parts, and other electronic equipment. According to the bomb squad, the electronics in the vehicle could have been used to build a bomb. The two men with the vehicle, Abdullah N. Al Rifahe, age 27, and Majid Al Rifahe, age 26, are currently facing charges.
Abdullah N. Al Rifahe has been charged with a felony for carrying a pistol in public without a permit, an offense he was convicted of only last December. While he still remains behind bars, the second man involved, Majid Al Rifahe was charged only with assault and disorderly conduct and has since been released from jail. The citizen who initiated the report, Attorney Tamburino’s client, says the released suspect recently returned to the area the vehicle was reported, where Majid Al Rifahe made a threatening gesture toward him. Attorney Tamburino filed restraining orders against both suspects on behalf of his client.
Recently, the FBI confirmed their knowledge of the arrests, and the Minneapolis police told the media that the investigation remains open. However, despite FBI involvement, the local officials seem to be sparing little attention for this threatening situation. Attorney Tamburino told ABC Eyewitness News, “They had guns, they had ammo, they had a grenade. Where is the mayor? Where are the county commissioners? We need to be talking about this. This was a dangerous situation.”
If you find yourself in need of legal representation or a restraining order, our firm can help. Contact Caplan & Tamburino Law Firm, P.A. to speak with Attorney Joe Tamburino or another of our experienced lawyers.