Found Deceased IA - Abdullahi "Abdi" Sharif, 18, Des Moines, 17 Jan 2020

[evilwise]

Des Moines police conclude Abdi Sharif's case, releasing new information

"The Polk County Medical Examiner determined that Sharif had no traumatic injury to his body that would indicate an assault or other deliberate harm had come to Sharif prior to his death. His clothing, weather/water damage excluded, showed no signs of a struggle with another person," Parizek said.

I really wish more found-in-water investigations would make this explicit statement. All-in-all a very professional sounding release. I feel satisfied but also saddened that whatever was going on in secret was something he felt he couldn't live with.

 

[ReaderRabbit]

If he was on the Euclid Bridge or the Wakonsa bride - you aren't just going to slip and fall in. Either you're thrown over or you're jumping in. As for him walking instead of getting a ride - it really doesn't make sense. If he was seen leaving Merle Hay Mall around 5:35PM and pinged at the tower near Broadlawns Hospital at 5:47PM, he was not walking. He could not get there that fast on foot, even if he were running. The DART buses have cameras and it does not appear that he was caught on any video, unless a camera wasn't working. There were buses leaving from the Merle Hay area to the Euclid Bridge/Wakonsa Bridge/Prospect Park areas around 5:30 PM.
So, assuming he did not take the bus, he must have been picked up by someone.

There is an Africana Restaurant on Douglas Ave right before it turns into Euclid Ave. (Douglas Ave becomes Euclid Ave, right before the bridge) The African store is very close to the Euclid Bridge (few mins walking). The Wakonsa bridge is a mile from the Africana restaurant. We met at Africana Restaurant to start one of the searches. The dogs the PI was using led to the river.
There is another African Restaurant on MLK (across the road from the Broadlawns Cell phone tower) which is .9 miles to the Wakonsa bridge.

As for honor killings, I just wanted to point out that honor killings are not Islamic (there is no basis for it in Islam and for one to be killed for an offense, the ruling has to come down from an authoritative law court, so no - family can't just decide to kill their family members to protect "honor"). Honor killings are tribal/cultural and just because they occur in Islamic countries does not mean it is a practice based in Islam.

I have spent the last 4 years living in Djibouti, Yemen, and Egypt. I am married to a Yemeni. Honor killings are usually perpetrated against females. Although perhaps a male homosexual could be the target of an honor killing. MOO. God grant his family peace.

 

[24Roses]

Abdi Sharif's mother says he wouldn't have harmed himself

 

[PayrollNerd]

Abdi Sharif's mother says he wouldn't have harmed himself

The investigators should have notified the mother of their press release in advance. She must have been blindsided and that is just cruel.

 

[YaYa_521]

Abdi Sharif's mother says he wouldn't have harmed himself

Snipped
She strongly disputes any talk that her son may have wanted to harm himself. She wishes there was better communication between her family and the Des Moines Police Department.
#

I haven't read back through the thread yet, but I agree with mom here. There wasn't much of a history given when Abdi went missing and there was no urgency about him potentially harming himself. All I recall is being left with the impression that he was a stable, happy teen who was fairly responsible and this entire disappearance was extremely out of character for him. The concern seemed to be more about him getting in harm's way than it was him bringing harm to himself (i.e., suicide). Something is not jiving here for me.

 

[evilwise]

"He was kind of like a father figure than a teenage boy," Ahmed said. "He was the leading man in the house. He was a tough guy. It is very very painful"

It reads to me like Abdi was under a lot of pressure to be the way his family is describing him. I agree that it seems like his sister might have more insight into who he really was, privately, but I don't think she's going to disclose it. The image of him as a perfect young man is important for them to preserve.

 

[SharonNeedles]

The investigators should have notified the mother of their press release in advance. She must have been blindsided and that is just cruel.

What stands out to me from the KCCI link I posted:

"Detectives also learned that Sharif had been secretive of his movements, and his family had discovered apparent conversation between Sharif and others regarding illegal activities, and he was experiencing personal struggles," said Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department. Police also say that Sharif was "hiding and staying with unknown friends at unknown locations."

It’s totally understandable that a parent doesn’t want to consider the possibility that their child might be battling a dangerous depression and spiraling out of control. And it’s also obvious that there was information pointing that direction that the family did not want to consider or disclose. I can totally understand that. I hope they find their peace and comfort.

 

[airportwoman]

Or just plain old that he was involved in something - anything - that their culture may not approve of.

 

[evilwise]

What stands out to me from the KCCI link I posted:

"Detectives also learned that Sharif had been secretive of his movements, and his family had discovered apparent conversation between Sharif and others regarding illegal activities, and he was experiencing personal struggles," said Sgt. Paul Parizek with the Des Moines Police Department. Police also say that Sharif was "hiding and staying with unknown friends at unknown locations."

It’s totally understandable that a parent doesn’t want to consider the possibility that their child might be battling a dangerous depression and spiraling out of control. And it’s also obvious that there was information pointing that direction that the family did not want to consider or disclose. I can totally understand that. I hope they find their peace and comfort.

Or maybe he was indeed a perfect young man and that night he just happened to be unfortunate, on the wrong bridge at the wrong exact moment (for completely legitimate reasons) and just happened to trip and fall off. We can't say for sure that's not what happened so, for his parents and extended family's sake, maybe.

 

[JudgeJoe]

DBM- duplicate

 

[PommyMommy]

NOV 16, 2020
Vigil held in honor of Abdi Sharif's 19th birthday (kcci.com)
On Monday night, people gathered on Des Moines' north side to honor what would've been Abdullahi Sharif's birthday.

Sharif disappeared in January and his body was found in May. Sharif would've turned 19 this week.

[...]

 

[Inquisitive2018]

Cops should just leave it as no evidence of foul play , full stop. Why even mention possible suicide when there there is very little to go on, Someone could have still thrown him off the bridge.

 

[beckyonsea]

Is the water close enough to work that he might have just thought to have a look to see if the river was frozen? I do daft stuff like that.