Ron Hocevar

10/19/2026

My opponent has stated that my office has not focused enough on our youth divisions, that I have minimized the role of juvenile attorneys and support staff, and that the juvenile division should not be used as a training ground for new attorneys.
My opponent has again showed his ignorance of this office and should do his homework on the office he wants to lead. He believes because he works in Child Protection in the Hennepin County Attorney's Office he should lead this office. Let's leave his ideas in Hennepin.
Our juvenile division is staffed by experienced professionals who have dedicated decades to this work. Our juvenile prosecutor has been with the office for 20 years, most of that time serving as a juvenile prosecutor. Her experience goes well beyond juvenile court. She has handled child protection cases, including some that she continues to handle, an adult misdemeanor caseload, and felony files.
Our Senior Support person for juvenile prosecution has also been in that position for 23 years. Her experience also includes adult felony cases, commitments for sexually dangerous individuals, child support and child protection matters.
These are not people whose roles I have minimized. They are highly experienced professionals whose knowledge and dedication are invaluable to this office and to the young people and families we serve.
Of course, we should always look for ways to strengthen our juvenile division and better serve our youth. But that conversation should be based on facts—not assumptions or uninformed criticism.
If my opponent wants to lead this office, he should first understand the people who have been doing this work successfully for decades.

**Honored to be endorsed by the Scott County Attorney's Associaton**

10/14/2026

Had a fun time along with Savage Fire Chief Jeremie Bresnahan speaking to the Rotary Club of Savage about the Savage Public Safety Foundation. Thank you for hosting us.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1F87q6JpwL/

Thank you to the Savage Public Safety Fund for coming to present to the Savage Rotary this past week. If you are looking to help support emergency responders in Savage, this is the best place to do it. More information on their contact information and social media links coming soon.

10/12/2026

I had the privilege to sit next to New Prague City Council member Rik Seiler at the all you can eat spaghetti dinner sponsered by the New Prague Womens Auxiliary and American Legion post 45 New Prague, MN. It was great pasta and a great time. Rik was cracking me up with his stories.

10/09/2026

Had a great time on this beautiful day helping out with food distribution for Hope for the Community in Elko New Market. I assisted in loading vehicles and then delivered food to several homes where they could not drive in to pick up. Many thanks to Jodi and Jim Muelken for all their efforts and dedication to Hope for the Community and to Niagara Cares and Feed the Children for all their assistance.
Jim Muelken for Scott County Commissioner

10/06/2026

I was so pleased attend Hero’s Hub hosted by the New Prague American Legion Auxiliary!
It was a wonderful event filled with community, appreciation, and support for our heroes and their families. Grateful for the chance to participate and for all the hard work the Auxiliary put into making it such a meaningful day. Hero's Hub mission is to give back to the men and women who served our country.
Thank you, American Legion post 45 New Prague, MN Auxiliary — events like this truly make a difference! 🇺🇸
Pictured with some of the ladies of the Auxiliary and retired Savage Police Chief Rodney Seurer.

09/29/2026

September 29, 2026; Shakopee, Minnesota -- Today, Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar announced that a grand jury has formally indicted Mohamed Abdirizak Rage (DOB: 6/7/1997) on the charge of first degree premeditated murder in the May 27, 2026 killing of Khalid Abdi.

“In taking in all of the facts of this incident,” Hocevar stated, “the grand jury rightly found sufficient probable cause to indict Rage on one of the most serious of charges possible. I thank them for their serious deliberation, their assessment of the facts as presented, and their service to the public.”

Incident details
On May 27 of this year, Officers from the Shakopee Police Department were dispatched to the site after a report of weapons violation. Upon arriving on the scene, the responding officers learned that an individual had been shot, and the shooter had fled the scene.

The victim – Khalid Abdi – was transported to Hennepin Healthcare (formerly Hennepin County Medical Center, and later died as a result of the gunshot wound to his torso.

The homicide took place at Canterbury Park Expo Center in Shakopee, where a number of people – including Abdi’s wife, herself a witness to the shooting -- had been gathered for a private prayer service. The victim’s wife was able to provide an account of what had occurred both before and during the shooting, stating that Rage had threatened to fight the victim. Abdi responded by asking Rage to leave him alone and that he “didn’t want to fight.” However, a physical altercation ensued, which was broken up by bystanders.

Following that interaction, Abdi and his wife proceeded to walk through the venue’s parking lot, and Rage followed them – and according to her statement, Abdi tried to run before being shot.

Surveillance footage and other statements gathered by Shakopee Police appeared to corroborate this account.

Rage turned himself in to the Shakopee Police Department on May 28, 2026.

Statement from the County Attorney
“The fact that this homicide occurred immediately following a sacred service that celebrates community values of peace, charity, and togetherness makes this murder particularly heinous,” said County Attorney Hocevar after the indictment was unsealed. “And shooting an unarmed, fleeing person is simply unconscionable. The entire community, not the least of whom is Mr. Abdi’s widow, has been traumatized by this murder.”

Bail has been set at $5 million with conditions; $6.5 million without.

09/25/2026

I am truly honored to be part of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. Our mission is to establish and sustain a comprehensive community support network that connects and coordinates agencies, organizations, and resources to meet the needs of Minnesota’s military veterans, service members, and their families.
On Monday September 14 I had the privilege of helping raise funds at our annual fundraiser held at Stonebrooke Golf Club. It was inspiring to see our community come together in support of those who serve and have served.
Grateful for everyone who showed up, donated, and made the day such a success. Together we continue to make a real difference.

09/17/2026

My opponent states that the Scott County Veterans Court no longer exists and that Drug Court will no longer exist at the end of this year.
Again, my opponent should really research the office he wants to lead.
Let’s start with Drug Court.
An independent evaluation was conducted comparing the outcomes of Drug Court with the outcomes of an intensive probation program through Community Corrections. The results were nearly identical.
When Drug Court was first implemented, it was a great idea. At that time, Community Corrections did not have the resources and programs it has today. But things have changed. Community Corrections now has the ability to provide services that allow defendants to achieve the same outcomes they could through Drug Court—while doing so at a substantial savings to taxpayers.
The decision to discontinue Drug Court was not made by me alone. The Judiciary, Community Corrections, and the County Commissioners all agreed to provide the same outcomes of Drug Court through the intensive probation services of Community Corrections.
My opponent says he will bring Drug Court back. If that is his position, he will need to explain to the Judiciary, Community Corrections, the County Commissioners, and ultimately the taxpayers why he wants to reinstate a program that costs more money without producing better outcomes. That is not responsible leadership.
And then there is Veterans Court.
My opponent's statement that Veterans Court no longer exists is simply a lie. In fact, Veterans Court has expanded significantly. Scott County is now part of the First Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court, which encompasses every county in the First Judicial District. This collaborative approach allows us to serve many more veterans than we could through a Scott County-only program.
The two physical locations where Veterans Court takes place are Dakota County and Scott County.
So once again, the facts tell a very different story than my opponent's claims.
We should be having a serious discussion about how to best serve veterans, address substance use, hold defendants accountable, and use taxpayer dollars responsibly. But that discussion needs to be grounded in facts and an understanding of how the office and our justice system actually operate.
If my opponent wants to lead this office, he should start by doing his homework not by making claims that I disbanded two treatment courts. Nothing could be further from the truth.

**Honored to be endorsed by the attorneys who work in this office.**

09/11/2026

Had the opportunity to thank the Prior Lake Savage Optimist Club for their generous donation to the Scott County Public Safety Foundation / Choose Not To Use.
We shared about CNTU and our ongoing commitment to helping young people make positive choices while understanding the real consequences of the decisions they face. The Optimist Club and CNTU make a natural partnership—both are deeply focused on supporting youth.
Since their founding in 1978, the Prior Lake-Savage Optimist Club has raised and distributed more than $1,000,000 to youth programs. Their work is funded through charitable gambling, club events, and individual contributions. Their motto says it all: “Bringing out the best in Kids.”
The club meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:30 a.m. at Rhino Bar in downtown Prior Lake. Everyone is welcome.

Pictured is their president Anita Drentlaw.