Killers On The Loose

Arrests have been made, ostensibly linked to the Uptown robbery/murder, but something doesn't quite track here. Some of the earliest suspect descriptions described the suspects generally as two "possibly black" males.

Later, as the suspect descriptions began to gel, there was more specificity of the suspected national origin of the criminals, "Two men of East African or Somali ethnicity held up the pair at gun point".

So now an arrest is made of three suspects, but they don't (apparently) have Somali names: Aiesha Camille Williams, 23, James Michael Walker 27, and Omari Kwakou Thomas, 27.

There are three survivors of the robbery. I assume the robbers spoke at some point. A Somali dialect would probably be obvious and memorable, even in the dire circumstances. In other words, the involvement or non-involvement of Somalis should be fairly obvious, for at least one of the three survivors.

So are the people in custody the "right" people? Obviously, there's missing information, and the police are understandably tight-lipped. I certainly hope those in custody are connected to the crime, but something doesn't add up, particularly with the history of Somali or East Africans robbing people in the Uptown area.

Am I missing something?

The Red Star reports, but omits the arrestee's names: "Three arrested after chase in south Minneapolis".

And here is a Minneapolis Police Media Advisory from 3/22/06:

Contact: Ron Reier, Minneapolis Police Department, 612-673-2995
Three People Arrested/Three Handguns recovered by Minneapolis Police ………..

(Minneapolis, MN March 22, 2006) Shortly after 11:00 PM Tuesday evening (March 21, 2006), veteran Minneapolis Police Officers Jeff Hoff and James Reynolds observed a vehicle fail to stop for a red light at Pillsbury Avenue South at West 31st Street. The officers activated red lights and siren; however the driver of the vehicle failed to stop. Officers observed the vehicle fail to stop for several red lights as it traveled Eastbound on 28th Street. Officers also observed items being thrown from the car. The low speed pursuit (approximately 40 mph) ended when the vehicle struck another vehicle as the vehicle exited Hiawatha at Cedar Avenue South.
During the low speed pursuit, additional officers observed items being thrown from the vehicle. Two loaded handguns were recovered from the area of East 28th Street and Clinton Avenue South. A third handgun was recovered near 10th Avenue South and East 28th Street.
Arrested:
1. Aiesha Camille WILLIAMS, DOB: 02-09-1983, 1301 Highway 7, Apt #127, Hopkins
2. James Michael WALKER, DOB:08-22-1978, 2938 Morgan Avenue North, Minneapolis
3. Omari Kwakou THOMAS, DOB: 08-16-1978, 2920 Northway Drive, Brooklyn Park
All three arrested parties were booked at the Hennepin County Jail. This case will require further investigation. At this point, no connection is being made linking this case to any other case being investigated.
Mug shots are not available. Charges will be presented to the Hennepin County Attorney’s office at the appropriate time.
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