Boys, 16 And 13, Assaulted Imam Near Bloomington Mosque: Police

BLOOMINGTON, MN — Two teenagers have been charged in connection to an assault of an imam near Dar Al Farooq mosque in Bloomington.

A 16-year-old boy from Bloomington was charged with aiding and abetting third-degree assault. He made his first appearance Friday, and his next scheduled appearance is Sept. 23.

A 13-year-old boy has also been charged in connection to this case, but no additional information was publicly provided because of his age.

According to a criminal complaint, Bloomington police responded just after 10 p.m. Aug. 6 to a report of an assault near Park Avenue and 82nd Street East.

Police said man who was outside of the Dal Al Farooq mosque was holding his shoulder and said he couldn't move it.

The man told police he was attacked by two people near the crosswalk just outside the mosque. They kicked and hit him, the complaint says.

The man later found out that he had two fractures in his left shoulder, according to a news release.

Surveillance footage from a school attached to the mosque showed two teenage boys approach the man and then run back to the park, the complaint continues.

On Friday, Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan visited Dar Al Farooq to meet with faith leaders and call for religious acceptance and unity in response to the attack on the Dar Al Farooq imama.

"Every Minnesotan deserves to be safe, and to live without fear that they will be discriminated against for their religion or the color of their skin," said Walz.

"I’m honored to join faith leaders to call for unity and religious acceptance in the face of the senseless attack."