Friday July 24, 2026
Columbus, Ohio (AX) — A Somali American man extradited from Somalia has made his first court appearance in Ohio, where he faces murder and robbery charges stemming from a deadly 2021 shooting in Columbus, authorities said Monday.
Hanut Abdulle, 23, was arraigned on aggravated murder, murder and aggravated robbery charges tied to the killing of Bryce Persang in west Columbus.
A judge set bond at $2 million. Should Abdulle post bond, he must surrender his passport and remain under GPS monitoring.
A 2023 indictment charged Abdulle with one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder and one count of aggravated robbery. Each count includes a firearm specification.
The charges arise from a shooting on Sept. 16, 2021, in the 5500 block of Floral Circle South.
Officers responding to reports of gunfire discovered Persang in the passenger seat of a Honda Fit suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital and later died.
Investigators identified Abdulle and co-defendant Tahir Said, 24, as responsible for Persang’s killing.
According to authorities, both men left the United States soon after the shooting.
Abdulle was subsequently arrested in Somalia and extradited to Ohio through a coordinated effort involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Department of Justice, Columbus police, Somali police and intelligence services, and other agencies across Africa.
Said has not been apprehended and remains at large.
Court records identify David Zeyen as the prosecutor assigned to the case.
