Man sentenced to over 13 years in prison for murder of smoke shop employee

A man accused of killing a St. Paul tobacco store employee last year has learned of his prison sentence.

Elias-Kareem Hany Aly, 21, was sentenced to 13.75 years (165 months) in prison, less 498 days already served. As part of his sentence, Aly must also pay $5,145.77 in restitution.

Aly was charged with two counts of second-degree murder last year, but one count was dismissed.

Court records show Aly was in Ramsey County Court on Feb. 16 on felony firearms charges stemming from a May 2020 incident.

Surveillance footage showed Aly and another man then leaving the courthouse in a Dodge Durango and about 30 minutes later, police responded to reports of a shooting at Union Tobacco in St. Paul. Officers then found Abdul Arif, 48, on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Arif, a father of three, died after being rushed to Regions Hospital.

RELATED: Friends, co-workers honor life of St. Paul smoke shop employee fatally shot Thursday

Police spoke to a witness, another store employee, who said three men entered the smoke shop and were asked to remove their masks due to an ongoing theft problem. The men then argued with staff, with one reportedly saying: “You don't know this, but I'm talking about that life. »

The complaint says Aly was wearing the same blue flannel shirt he wore to court. When Aly exited the store, he reached in and removed a green chime containing a Ring camera from the door, then sat in the Durango. Arif then took a baseball bat and went outside with another employee to retrieve the chime, and that's when Arif was shot.

Surveillance video captured footage of the shooting, according to court documents. Arif was in the driver's side of the Durango with the baseball bat, but he never raised it. The footage shows Arif falling to the ground and being helped by the other employee before falling back down and not moving on his own.

Aly was arrested the next day during a traffic stop in front of the apartment building where he lives. The Durango was found in an underground parking lot. One of the men who was with Aly at the time of the shooting was arrested and questioned by police, who reportedly said: “This man should not have died. »