A wedding crasher accused of firing a pistol in the parking lot of the Bektash Temple in Concord is asking a judge to reduce his bail so he can return home to Tennessee to see his infant children.
Salim Hussein, 22, of Nashville, Tenn., recently filed a handwritten motion for a bail reduction hearing in Merrimack County Superior Court, where he faces one count each of felony riot and reckless conduct with a firearm. Additionally, his attorney has requested a source of funds hearing so Hussein can provide proof to the court of where the money will come from to pay for his release – and show that the funds are from a legal source.
Hussein is being held at the county jail for lack of $10,000 cash-only bail. He is one of four men facing criminal charges stemming from an April melee in the parking lot of the Bektash Temple, which was host to a Somalian wedding that police say the men never received an invitation to attend.
Prosecutors allege the men traveled together to the wedding on April 22, prepared and armed for trouble.
Jafar Kahalid Issak, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, who also faces charges of felony riot and reckless conduct with a firearm, remains incarcerated for lack of $10,000 cash-only bail. Abdi Osman Mohamed, 18, of Erie, Penn., and Ali Dahir Hussein, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, who each face one count of felony riot, are out of jail and back home; both posted the $2,000 bail required for their releases.
Salim Hussein’s attorney, John Draghi, wrote in his motion that family members plan to travel to New Hampshire from Ohio to post Hussein’s bail, and are prepared to testify if necessary.
As of Thursday, a judge had not ruled on the motion.
Concord police Lt. Sean Ford said in an interview that the police investigation continues but that gaining witnesses’ cooperation has been difficult. Various factions of a street gang in Columbus, Ohio, showed up at the wedding with a grudge, but the reason for that grudge remains unclear, he said.
Ford said previously that issues may have been brewing over social media among gang members for some time.
The 911 call was received April 22 shortly before 1:30 a.m. A witness reported hearing a gunshot and screaming, and said multiple people had fled into the woods.
When a handful of local and state law enforcement agencies responded to the temple at 189 Pembroke Road, they believed an active shooter situation was unfolding, according to court documents. Officers encountered a wedding party of more than 300 people and numerous fights in progress. Police detained dozens of potential witnesses while trying to sort out what had occurred.
Police allege Hussein was driving a 2011 Chrysler that was involved in a collision not far from the entrance to the parking lot. Witnesses reported that, as the Chrysler was leaving the property, Hussein pointed a pistol out the car’s window and threatened partygoers. The driver of another vehicle observed this and responded by causing an intentional T-bone crash, police said.
Hussein was injured in the crash, and police later found him hiding in another car in the parking lot.
Issak is also accused of being armed with a gun but not of firing it.
Dispositional conferences in all cases are scheduled for July and August in Concord.
(Alyssa Dandrea can be reached at 369-3319, adandrea@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @_ADandrea.)