Man Taken Into Custody After Allegedly Attacking Elderly Resident in Redmond Robbery

When I first read through the police reports and the surveillance details, the part that hit me hardest was how ordinary the moment was. An elderly man was just unloading groceries outside his Redmond home—something you and I do without a second thought—when a stranger walked up, pointed a gun at him, and turned a normal morning into a life-altering memory.

According to Redmond Police, the attack happened around 11:20 a.m. on Oct. 16, in a quiet residential block on 159th Avenue NE. Broad daylight. No warning signs. No argument. Just a man doing his routine, and a suspect who had already decided he was going to be a target.

The victim told officers he didn’t even have money on him. It didn’t matter. The suspect struck him in the head with the gun anyway and drove off. And that’s important to understand—this wasn’t just a robbery attempt. It was an assault driven by aggression, not desperation.

What makes this case more unsettling is that detectives later discovered the suspect had been watching him inside a nearby 7-Eleven. Surveillance footage shows the suspect standing at the checkout, quietly clocking the victim’s movements, then trailing him in a white Tesla as he left the store.

That detail changes everything. This wasn’t a random attack. It was a follow-home robbery—one of the most under-reported but growing crime patterns in many cities.

I’m starting with these specifics because I want you to feel the weight of the situation. If you’ve ever helped an older parent with errands or unloaded grocery bags after a long morning, you can picture exactly how vulnerable this moment was. And if it happened in a calm, familiar Redmond neighborhood in the middle of the day, it can happen anywhere.

Before we go deeper: Has anything like this happened in your neighborhood—followed from a store, strange car lingering, someone watching too closely?

How the Suspect Followed the Victim Home?

What really stood out to me while reviewing this case is how intentional the entire setup was. According to the official update posted by Redmond Police on Facebook, detectives didn’t just piece together isolated clues—they actually watched the suspect’s movements inside the 7-Eleven.

The footage shows him standing there, quietly watching the elderly victim at checkout, almost like he was waiting for the “right” moment.

You can almost imagine how normal this must have felt to the victim. He’s buying groceries. Someone else is just in line. Nothing strange. Nothing dangerous. And yet, that’s exactly when the danger started.

Once the victim left, the suspect got into his white Tesla and followed him out of the parking lot. No confrontation. No communication. Just silent observation. This is the kind of detail that hits you because you realize how easy it is to miss someone trailing you—especially when you’re focused on getting home, unloading bags, and moving on with your day.

I’m mentioning the Facebook report directly because when information comes from the police themselves, it helps us cut through speculation. They were very clear: the suspect targeted him at the store, followed him home, and attacked him when he was most distracted.

And honestly, that’s the part that should make all of us pause. You don’t need to be elderly to become a target. You just need to be predictable.

Investigation Breakthroughs & Evidence

As I dug deeper into the investigation, I realized just how fast detectives moved once they had the right pieces. Local coverage from KIRO 7 highlighted how surveillance footage, witness accounts, and the Tesla’s presence all began lining up like parts of a puzzle.

After identifying the suspect’s car, detectives traced it to a home in Renton. And this is where the case shifts from “scary incident” to “serious law-enforcement operation.” Redmond detectives didn’t go alone—they brought in the North Sound Metro SWAT team. That tells you the level of risk they were expecting.

During the search, officers found clothing matching what the suspect wore during the robbery. They also recovered a stolen firearm inside the residence. You and I both know that stolen guns almost always point to a bigger pattern, not a one-off mistake.

What I appreciate about the reporting is that it doesn’t just frame the story as a dramatic arrest. It shows how methodical the investigation was—vehicle ID, surveillance tracking, SWAT support, then physical evidence. When you see that sequence, you realize this wasn’t luck. It was solid police work.

I was reminded of a similar case where Mesquite police arrested multiple suspects after a violent home invasion — the pattern of fast coordination and evidence-led policing was nearly identical.

Suspect Identification & Charges

Once everything lined up, detectives arrested 24-year-old Abukar A. Dahir and booked him into King County Jail on a charge of First-Degree Attempted Robbery. He’s being held on $150,000 bail, which tells you the court also sees this as a serious, premeditated offense, not a quick mistake or impulsive grab.

I want to pause here for a second because there’s something important about naming charges. “First-degree attempted robbery” isn’t just legal jargon. It means the court believes there was intent, planning, and the use of a deadly weapon. In simpler words: this wasn’t random, and it wasn’t mild.

For the victim and the community, identifying the suspect matters. It gives closure. It helps people feel like the danger has been addressed. And it sets the tone for how seriously follow-home crimes are being handled in Washington.

If you stay connected with local safety updates, you probably already follow one of those WhatsApp channels that share real-time alerts — they’ve become surprisingly useful for staying aware before news even breaks.

Why Elderly Victims Are Targeted?

When I break down cases like this, one pattern always shows up: people who appear distracted or physically limited are easier targets. And that’s exactly why older adults get hit more often.

Think about the victim here. He was unloading groceries—hands full, head down, probably focused on getting inside. You’ve been in that situation, I’ve been in that situation. It’s the perfect opening for someone who’s already watching you.

Criminals also choose moments when people’s guard is down. Parking lots, driveways, garage entrances—these are transition points where most of us mentally “switch off.” Add age to the equation, and the risk multiplies.

It’s heartbreaking, but it’s reality: Elderly people aren’t targeted because they’re weak. They’re targeted because criminals see an opportunity.

And if we don’t talk about it openly, families don’t learn how to prevent it.

We’ve seen this pattern repeat in other states too, including a case where two Wilmington men were arrested after targeting residents during a home invasion.

Safety Lessons for You, Your Family, and Your Community

As someone who has studied dozens of similar cases, I can tell you this: follow-home robberies aren’t just about the moment of attack. They’re about the quiet minutes before—when someone is watching you and you don’t even notice.

Here are a few things you can start doing right away:

1. Notice who notices you. If someone stands too close at checkout or keeps looking at your hands, wallet, or bags, don’t ignore it. Trust that internal alert—you have it for a reason.

2. When you leave a store, do a quick glance around. You’re not being paranoid. You’re being aware. If a car pulls out at the same time and takes the same turns, don’t go straight home.

3. For elderly parents, set simple routines. Ask them to call or text when they’re heading back from the store. Small habits can reduce risk more than you think.

4. Make your driveway a “hard target.” A camera facing the driveway or garage doesn’t just record—it deters. Criminals hate uncertainty.

5. Load and unload with your phone in your pocket, not in the car. Being reachable and aware adds a layer of protection, especially if someone is watching from a distance.

6. Stay plugged into local alerts. Redmond PD and nearby departments share real-time updates. Following them isn’t for worry—it’s for awareness.

At the end of the day, safety isn’t about living in fear. It’s about staying one step ahead of someone who thinks you’re not paying attention.

What This Case Says About Crime Trends in Redmond?

A lot of people look at a case like this and think, “Was this just a one-off?” I don’t blame them — the Eastside has a reputation for being calm, predictable, and relatively safe. But when you look closely at recent patterns in regional crime bulletins, you start to see a quiet shift.

Follow-home robberies aren’t new, but they’re showing up more across King County — Bellevue, Kirkland, Seattle, and now Redmond. Criminals aren’t choosing neighborhoods based on income or age. They’re choosing based on opportunity: busy stores, distracted shoppers, predictable routines.

And if you’ve been in Redmond long enough, you know how fast the area has changed. More people. More traffic. More visibility. All of that creates more chances for bad actors to blend in.

I’m not sharing this to worry you. I’m sharing it because pretending these trends don’t exist leaves people unprepared. When a city grows, the risks grow with it — and the smartest communities are the ones willing to talk openly about those risks instead of hiding them under “but we’re a safe neighborhood.”

You don’t need to panic. You just need to be aware.

And if you look at similar tragedies — like the man found dead after a reported home invasion in Alexandria — you start to see how quickly these incidents can escalate when someone is targeted at home.

Key Takeaways You Should Remember

If you only walk away with a few things from this story, let them be these:

• A robbery like this doesn’t start at your driveway — it starts minutes earlier, when someone is watching you and you’re too busy living your life to notice.
• Elderly victims aren’t targeted because they’re alone. They’re targeted because they’re predictable.
• Surveillance footage and community awareness didn’t just help solve this case — they prevented the suspect from hurting someone else.
• You don’t need fancy security to stay safe. You just need better habits and a bit more awareness during those in-between moments.

This case isn’t just about Redmond. It’s about any place where routine makes you feel safe — until someone takes advantage of it.

So let me ask you this: What’s one small change you can make this week to protect yourself or someone you care about?

If you follow safety and crime updates closely, you may want to explore more community-focused reports on our website Build Like New — they’ll give you a clearer sense of how these patterns are evolving.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is based on publicly available reports, official statements, and general safety expertise. It is intended for awareness and educational purposes only. It should not be taken as legal advice or a substitute for professional guidance.