Eden Prairie man sentenced to 15 years in prison for setting fire to ex's house, severely injuring baby

Court documents show a 25-year-old Twin Cities man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for intentionally starting a house fire in Eden Prairie that critically injured a 9-month-old baby. A man and three other children, ages 1, 3 and 6, suffered less serious injuries.

Abdirahman Abdullahi was convicted of one count of arson causing injury in federal court for the fire that occurred on May 31, 2024, on the 8000 block of Cardiff Lane in Eden Prairie.

Charging documents say one of the residents of the house that Abdullahi set on fire told investigators that she believed her ex-boyfriend, Abdullahi, had started the fire. 

Two days earlier, Abdullahi allegedly came to the house and threatened to kill the woman, and she reported the incident to police. Additionally, she told investigators that Abdullahi worked at a smoke shop nearby.

Surveillance footage obtained from nearby businesses shows a man dressed in all black parking a red Jeep. He is seen exiting the vehicle with a trash bag and a red gas can and walking in the direction of the home shortly before the fire, charges state. About six minutes later, the man is seen returning to his vehicle and leaving at a high rate of speed.

Using the license plate, investigators were able to confirm the vehicle had been rented from an Enterprise in Eden Prairie days prior. It had been rented to a man who works at the same smoke shop as Abdullahi, charges say. The man told police he had rented the vehicle but gave it to Abdullahi, who returned it to him hours after the fire.

The woman was able to identify the man on the surveillance video as Abdullahi and said he had been driving the red Jeep when he threatened her, according to the complaint.

At the time of the fire, Abdullahi had been on probation for felony harassment restraining order violation against the victim.

Abdullahi is also facing a charge of first-degree arson in Minnesota for the fire. That case has gone dormant, meaning the state may still try him despite his federal sentence. 

For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.