Teenager killed man while filming music video, court hears

Teen tells witness he shot someone while recording rap video in a parking lot

A teenager pleaded guilty to a deadly crime spree that occurred while shooting a music video in Minneapolis. (PA)

A teenager has pleaded guilty to committing a weeks-long crime spree that turned deadly while shooting a rap music video.

Shire Basal was just 16-years-old when he began a series of violent crimes in Minneapolis that culminated with the teen receiving 25 years in prison as part of an agreement announced on Tuesday afternoon.

He and his friends were filming a rap video behind a local Chinese restaurant in September when a man the teen allegedly had a prior altercation with drove his car into the car park and stopped, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

That’s when Basal reportedly fired several shots, killing the 32-year-old, named Liban Abdulahi.

The 16-year-old acknowledged the altercation nearly a month after fleeing the scene then denying his involvement in the shooting.

At least one witness told police they had seen Basal shortly after the murder. The teen asked the witness for a ride just streets away from the crime scene, and told them he had just shot someone after getting into their car.

Basal also violently confronted a woman three weeks earlier, ripping her purse from her after brandishing a BB gun, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

The teen was charged with second-degree murder and first-degree aggravated robbery. A third charge would be dismissed as part of the agreement.

That charge was related to another robbery Basal committed just two days after the murder, in which he reportedly brandished a firearm and repeatedly punched a man with three other assailants before stealing his phone, wallet and cash.

Local prosecutors wanted Basal to be tried as an adult, since Minnesota law requires someone at his age to have significant reasons to be tried as a juvenile.

Basal’s sentencing is set for 10 June.