More than a year after fleeing the country, Salman Haji, 20, appeared in a King County courtroom Thursday to face serious felony charges, including first-degree murder, tied to the fatal shooting of Yuan Ming at a Tukwila Costco during a 2024 robbery.
Authorities say Haji allegedly shot Ming, a Chinese-American visitor, while she was helping her sister load groceries. The incident sent shockwaves through immigrant communities, especially Somali Americans closely following the case.
Haji’s co-defendant, Ilyiss Abdi, also 20, was arrested earlier and charged in connection with the same crime. Investigators say Abdi drove a stolen Porsche SUV as the pair circled the Costco parking lot before targeting two elderly women. The shooting occurred during a struggle when Haji attempted to grab one sister’s purse and Ming leaned over to assist.
Following the shooting, Haji vanished from the U.S. on February 1, 2024, after being named on social media as a suspect. FBI agents believe he first fled to Somalia, hiding out in Mogadishu under aliases and moving frequently to avoid detection.
Months passed with no trace, but by late 2024, intelligence placed him in Kenya, where stronger law enforcement ties with the U.S. exist. Working with Kenyan authorities, FBI agents tracked him to a Nairobi neighborhood and arrested him without incident earlier this year. He was handed over to FBI custody on July 18, 2025, after Kenyan officials revoked his visa.
Alongside the murder charges, Haji faces a separate federal indictment for an armed carjacking committed the same day as the Costco incident. The case has stirred strong feelings within the Somali American community, which condemns the crime but also worries about rising hate speech and xenophobia.
The arrest formed part of the FBI’s “Summer Heat” operation, targeting violent fugitives nationwide. FBI Special Agent W. Mike Herrington stressed their commitment: “Even if suspects flee abroad, we’re not giving up. We will find them and bring them to justice.”
At Thursday’s hearing, Ming’s daughter, Zoe, opposed her mother’s alleged killer being shielded from public view. “My mother was murdered in public. He should not be hidden from us now,” she said emotionally. The judge denied the defense’s request to block media coverage, allowing cameras to record the proceedings.
Haji pleaded not guilty and remains held on $5 million bail, while Abdi stays in custody on $6 million bail.
