Activists Call For Hate Crime Investigation, Transparency In St. Cloud Man’s Death

(KNSI) – A Muslim civil rights group is calling for a hate crime investigation after a man’s remains were found in the front seat of a burned-out car in Waite Park on Monday.

His remains were found around 1 a.m. in the 1500 block of County Road 6. The family says they were first told on Monday that Sabriye could have died in the fire but it took until Thursday afternoon to get DNA confirmation. The family says that it took too long to get confirmation and they don’t trust the lead agency on the case, the Waite Park Police Department.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations and the family of Musa Sabriye say they’ve had no communication on how the 33-year-old died or what the circumstances were around his death.

When first responders found the car, the person was not immediately identifiable and the car was burned beyond recognition.

In an email sent to KNSI, Waite Park Police Chief Dave Bentrud says, “Sometimes it takes time to confirm and verify this kind of information. The ability of the medical examiners office to identify victims is not necessarily instantaneous particularly in cases like this one. We have had communications with the victim’s brother and will continue to do so.”

CAIR Deputy Director Mohamed Ibrahim told reporters at a press conference on Friday what the family wants.

“A thorough investigation as well as asking for the FBI to investigate this incident as a hate crime. Although we do not have any indications that a hate crime was done or any evidence of a hate crime thus far.”

He says the FBI needs to be involved in the investigation in the name of transparency.

The WPPD says data practice laws mean active investigations are considered private and police generally don’t disclose specific investigative details to the public. The agency says it also doesn’t speculate, assume, or guess a victim’s identity or how or why the victim died. The WPPD says its working with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the State Fire Marshal and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to learn what happened to Sabriye.

Ibrahim asks people in the community to speak up if they know anything.

“This case may not be solved without the community support. So if there are any community members that we know that can come forward with any type of information that can help us resolve and understand what happened in this incident, please come forward.”

Some speakers say they’re afraid nothing is being done and that the death isn’t being taken seriously. Sabriye’s roommate says he last saw him at their St. Cloud apartment Sunday morning.

He worked a full-time job at Fulfillment Distribution Center in St. Cloud and was working on getting his GED.

If anyone has any information, they can call the WPPD at 320-251-3281 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-255-1301.

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