Trucking school honors life of student with foundation

A Burnsville trucking school is honoring the life of one of their students by launching a foundation to offer more people a second chance.

Abdi Omar Abukar was a student at King’s Trucking School working toward his CDL license.

He was shot and killed in Minneapolis in December 2022.

“He was a fun dude, outgoing and charismatic,” Yusuf Hagihassan, King’s Trucking School student, said.

At King’s Trucking School, Hagihassan said Abukar brought life to the classroom.

“Abdi was just a ball of energy,” Hagihassan said.

Abukar was just one week away from making it on a picture wall to join students who received their CDL license to become a truck driver.

But the 27-year-old never made it back to class.

“Honestly I was shocked. At this point in life, I’m used to losing a lot of people,” Hagihassan said.

Back on December 13, Minneapolis police say Abukar was shot and killed while sitting in his car on the Northside of Minneapolis.

“You could kind of feel people out and know that they’re good people and I felt Abdi was a good person,” Abukar said

The Burnsville Trucking School owners wanted to create another lane of opportunity by launching a scholarship fund to remember Abukar’s life.

“When we come from similar backgrounds and grow up in Minneapolis, we understand how it is and how it’s structured. So we want to help individuals kind of escape that reality and show them a new way of living,” Jibril Abdi, King’s Trucking School president, said. Candidates will be able to apply for the scholarship. It will allow students to get through the program to become a licensed trucker with financial support.

The owners explained the goal is to help individuals with an interest in a trucking career, who are living in the inner city with an extensive criminal background.

The long-term goal is to minimize violence in the community and neighborhoods.

“We deal with people who need a second chance in life and that’s exactly what we’re here to do. That’s exactly what we’re here to provide,” Bashir Omar

Hagihassan was given that second chance.

“I have a background in gangs, grew up in a rough neighborhood and probably didn’t have enough options,” Hagihassan said. “I feel like if we had a lot more options then we would probably do better in life coming from our environments.”

In a pilot program, Hagihassan became the first recipient of the scholarship in Abukar’s honor.

“They really changed my life,” Hagihassan said. “I really wish that Abdi had that chance. I wish he had the chance to fulfill his dream.”

The King’s Trucking Foundation is accepting donations to keep the foundation alive.

The Abukar family also launched a GoFundme to help the family with expenses.