Man Charged With Armed Robbery in St. Cloud

ST. CLOUD -- A Minneapolis man faces aggravated robbery and weapons charges after a St. Cloud man said he was robbed of his cell phone.

The robbery happened just before 5:00 p.m. May 21st.

The victim told police he was sitting in his car in the parking lot behind New York Gyro at 850 University Drive when a man pulled his car up behind him and blocked him in.

According to the criminal complaint, 22-year-old Abdimalik Hassan Abi walked up to the driver's side window with brass knuckles in hand and a handgun in his waistband. The victim said Abi demanded his cellphone and the code to unlock it. After the man turned over the phone, Abi left the scene.

Police spotted Abi's car the following afternoon and made a traffic stop. Inside Abi's car, police say they found the victim's cellphone, brass knuckles, and 9mm ammunition.

Abi is charged with 1st and 2nd-degree aggravated robbery and two counts of illegally having a gun or ammunition.

Abi is prohibited from having any weapons or ammunition as a result of a 2017 conviction for a crime of violence in Hennepin County.