Western New York has been left in shock after four killings occurred within the span of about an hour in Buffalo and Cheektowaga. Authorities say a store clerk was fatally shot at a business in Buffalo before the suspect allegedly returned home and killed his wife and two young children. Investigators are calling it one of the most horrific family homicide cases in recent Erie County history.
According to authorities, Aaisha Abdulla, 26, and her two young sons, ages 3 and 4, were found dead inside their residence. Another victim, Shukri Muthana, 43, a store clerk, was fatally shot at a store on Grant Street in Buffalo.
Erie County District Attorney Michael Keane announced Wednesday that Saleh Q. Mohamed, 29, of Cheektowaga, has been arraigned on charges related to all four deaths. He faces one count of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder. If convicted on the most serious charge, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole.
According to investigators, the violence began shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1, when Buffalo police responded to reports of a shooting at a store on the 1000 block of Grant Street. Officers found a 43-year-old store employee suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors allege that Mohamed intentionally shot and killed the victim.
About an hour later, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Cheektowaga police responded to a residence on Ellen Drive after receiving an emergency call. Inside the home, officers discovered a scene authorities described as deeply disturbing.
A 26-year-old woman was found dead inside the residence. Nearby were the bodies of two young boys, ages 4 and 3. Police allege that the woman was Mohamed’s wife and the two children were their sons.
Investigators believe the case involves a domestic homicide, but authorities have not yet publicly disclosed a motive. The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors have indicated that additional charges could be filed as more information becomes available.
During an initial court appearance Tuesday night in Cheektowaga Town Court, Judge John J. Wanat ordered Mohamed held without bail. On Wednesday, he was separately arraigned in Buffalo City Court on an additional murder charge related to the store clerk’s death. Further felony hearings in both cases are scheduled for Friday.
The killings have sent shockwaves throughout the Buffalo-area community. Neighbors told local media that they knew the family as quiet and unassuming and are struggling to comprehend the tragedy.
District Attorney Keane praised the Buffalo Police Department and the Cheektowaga Police Department for their work on the investigation. He said many details cannot yet be released publicly, but investigators are examining every aspect of the case.
The tragedy has left a community searching for answers. Investigators are now working to determine what happened during those critical hours, what may have motivated the alleged crimes, and whether there was any connection between the store clerk’s killing and the deaths inside the family home.
As the investigation continues, Buffalo and Cheektowaga are grappling with a case that has stunned the region.
