KING COUNTY, Wash. — Nearly 18 months after the fatal shooting of 67-year-old Yuam Ming in the parking lot of a Tukwila Costco, Salman Haji, the 20-year-old suspect who fled the country, has finally faced a King County judge following his extradition from Kenya.
Haji, who is accused of murder, attempted robbery, and robbery in connection with the deadly January 26, 2024, crime spree, pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance Thursday.
The Crime and the Victim
According to prosecutors, Haji and co-defendant Ilyiss Abdi, also 20, arrived at the Costco in a stolen Porsche SUV. There, Haji allegedly attempted to snatch Ming’s purse while she was loading groceries into her car. During the struggle, Haji is accused of shooting Ming in the chest and fleeing the scene in the getaway vehicle driven by Abdi.
Ming died shortly after the shooting. Her daughter, Zoe, appeared in court Thursday and delivered an emotional statement opposing a motion from Haji’s legal team seeking to prevent media from filming his face.
“My mother was murdered in public, and he should not be shielded from the public now,” Zoe said. “I have the right to see the murderer of my mother — and so does the public.”
International Manhunt Ends in Kenya
Authorities say Haji fled the United States shortly after the killing, first to Somalia, then to Kenya, where he lived for over a year. The FBI worked with law enforcement partners and U.S. legal attachés in Nairobi and The Hague to locate and return him.
“Even if they flee outside the United States, we are not giving up,” said W. Mike Herrington, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “We are dedicated to finding them and bringing them to face justice — no matter where in the world they are.”
Kenyan officials reportedly revoked Haji’s visa, and he was placed into FBI custody before being deported back to the United States. He is now being held at the King County Jail on $5 million bail.
Defense Cites Online Threats and Public Scrutiny
Haji’s public defenders raised concerns during the hearing, pointing to racist online comments, calls for Haji’s death, and misinformation about his immigration status. While court records don’t specify his citizenship, the Seattle Times reported that Haji is a U.S. citizen.
Defense attorneys cited recent federal controversies involving immigrant detentions and deportations, warning that intense public sentiment could endanger their client’s right to a fair trial.
Despite those concerns, Judge David Keenan ruled that the media would not be restricted from filming Haji during court proceedings.
Co-Defendant and Federal Charges
Both Haji and Ilyiss Abdi are scheduled for court appearances in August. In addition to the King County charges, Haji also faces a federal carjacking charge related to the theft of the Porsche SUV used in the crime.
The FBI confirmed that Haji’s arrest was part of its “Summer Heat” initiative, which targets violent fugitives nationwide during summer months.
A Daughter’s Grief and a Family’s Statement
In a moving written statement released Thursday, Yuam Ming’s daughter, Chloe, shared heartfelt memories of her mother and condemned the societal conditions that allowed such violence to occur.
“My mother was someone this world does not get twice,” Chloe wrote. “She lived with luminous wisdom, unshakable clarity, and a compassion so quiet it could be missed — yet it moved mountains.”
Chloe described her mother’s death as not just a personal tragedy, but a consequence of systemic failures, including eroded accountability and delayed justice.
“To lose her in such a brutal, public way — to violence, to cowardice, to greed, to negligence, to a world so ready to look away from cruelty — has made healing impossible,” she wrote.
Despite experiencing what she called bureaucratic delays and institutional indifference, Chloe praised the law enforcement personnel who worked tirelessly across borders to bring Haji back.
“Detectives, frontline officers, prosecutors — people who upheld justice across continents… You are the reason the system still has meaning left.”
What’s Next
Haji will remain in custody while awaiting further legal proceedings. His next court date is scheduled for August, and the trial could begin later this year or in 2026, depending on pretrial motions and discovery.
As the case continues, both the legal system and the public remain focused on the question of justice for Yuam Ming, a woman remembered not just as a victim, but as a deeply principled and compassionate force in her community.
“My mother is not a headline. Not a statistic. Not a footnote,” Chloe wrote. “She is the North Star of our family. And now she’s gone — because someone believed he could kill without consequence. We will make sure he learns otherwise.”
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