North Mankato, Minnesota, is still grieving the death of Tyson Michael Goodsell, the 17 year old Mankato West High School football player who was found shot inside a crashed vehicle on May 23.
Police have said the case was not random, and investigators continue to build a murder case that has already led to multiple arrests and additional charges.
Authorities said officers were called just after 11 p.m. to the area of Pleasant View Drive and Willow Lane after reports of gunfire. A short time later, police were told a passenger vehicle had crashed into a townhome on Willow Trail.
When officers arrived, they found Goodsell inside the vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. He was taken to Mayo Clinic Health System Mankato, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police identified Goodsell as a student at Mankato West High School who played football for the school.
A report from KEYC said he had been helping close the shop at his job earlier that evening before the shooting. Investigators also said they do not believe the incident was random and asked residents in the area to check home surveillance video for a silver 2010 Chevrolet Impala.
Charges filed in the case
The case has moved quickly in court. According to KEYC and KSTP, Abdikhadar Fakhi Mohidin, 20, is charged with second degree murder, first degree attempted robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony, unlawful possession of a firearm, first degree assault and two counts of second degree assault.
Authorities also charged Ahmed Fuad Mohamud, 23, and Ryan Robert Wolner, 18, in connection with the robbery setup that led to Goodsell’s death.
Court records described a setup involving a supposed THC cartridge sale. KSTP reported that Goodsell left home to meet someone about selling thousands of dollars worth of THC cartridges, and the witness in the case later told police that Wolner asked whether anyone could be robbed and helped arrange the deal.
The complaint also says Mohidin later told police that he and Mohamud pulled up beside Goodsell’s car, tried to break his window, and then fired six shots into the vehicle after Goodsell drove away.
On June 9, North Mankato Police and the Nicollet County Attorney’s Office announced additional charges in the case.
KEYC reported that Ryan Robert Wolner now faces new counts including aiding and abetting first degree aggravated robbery, conspiracy to commit first degree aggravated robbery, aiding an offender after the fact, and aiding and abetting murder and assault related charges.
Police said the investigation remains active and additional arrests or charges are still possible.
Community grief continues
While the court case moves forward, the loss is still hitting hard in the North Mankato and Mankato West communities.
Social media posts from Goodsell’s father, Zach Goodsell, asked for help after the shooting and expressed the pain of losing his son. A GofundMe campaign has also started to support the family in this difficult moment of time.
Friends, family members and classmates have responded with condolences, many saying they cannot imagine the heartbreak of losing a child so young.
One commenter wrote, “I’m so very, very sorry for your unimaginable loss.” Another said, “No parent should have to bury their children, especially from violence.”
Others added messages such as, “I’m so sorry for your loss,” and “Justice for Tyson.”
Those reactions show how widely the tragedy has spread beyond the football field and into the larger community.
Goodsell’s death has also become a painful reminder of how quickly a young life can be cut short.
He was a student athlete with a job, a school community and a family that is now left trying to make sense of what happened on a Saturday night in North Mankato. Police have said the case is not over, and the investigation continues.
