He Firebombed an Ice Cream Shop, Twice
Getty/Georgii Boronin
A federal jury has convicted a 32-year-old man from the Minneapolis area for carrying out two firebomb attacks on a local ice cream shop within a single day.
According to the Star Tribune, Firomsa Ahmed Umar was found guilty of arson and attempted arson for the incidents involving Fletcher’s Ice Cream and Cafe in northeast Minneapolis. Prosecutors said the first attack happened on October 19, when Umar threw a Molotov cocktail at the shop. The device shattered a window and sparked a small fire inside the building, Minnesota Public Radio reported.
Authorities said Umar returned the following afternoon and hurled another Molotov cocktail at the business. That device did not ignite.
Umar remains in federal custody while he waits to be sentenced. In addition to the guilty verdicts, jurors determined that he selected the business because of the owner’s “gender identity or sexual orientation.” That finding could lead to a longer prison sentence.
Fletcher’s Ice Cream and Cafe is known for presenting itself as a welcoming place for the LGBTQ community. The shop’s owner has said a Pride flag displayed at the store may have been the reason it was targeted, according to CBS News.
About Post Author
