ROCHESTER, Minn. - Alexander Weiss testified Friday about tense moments prior to a shooting that left Muhammad Rahim dead.
Weiss, the defendant in the second-degree murder trial, told jurors that he had no choice but to fire a gun.
Weiss testified that he was on his way to officiate a basketball game Jan. 14, 2018, when the victim’s vehicle came around a corner and hit Weiss’ vehicle.
Weiss claims the first person who got out of the vehicle, a witness to the shooting, was acting weird and became very aggressive.
After saying he was going to call police, Weiss said the man became enraged and threatened to beat him up and kill him.
At that point, Weiss said he went back to his vehicle to grab his phone and his gun, a 9mm.
Weiss testified that he told the witness that he had a gun and that person retreated. Then, Ramin got out of the vehicle and became aggressive, Weiss said. Weiss said at that point he was fearful of getting jumped and killed.
Weiss, who is claiming self-defense in the shooting, said he shot Rahim as a last resort after Rahim continued to get closer to him.
According to the autopsy, Rahim died from a single gunshot wound. Police say only one 911 call was received, and that came from Weiss.
Earlier Friday, a forensic scientist testified that there was no evidence of Rahim’s spit on Weiss’ face. Weiss had claimed that Rahim had spit on him during the altercation.
Read more on the case here.
Evidence was inconclusive that Rahim’s DNA was found on a gun that Weiss allegedly used.
