'Triggahappy' Athens gangster indicted for shooting man in alleged money dispute set up

Hanif Rahim Ali

By Joe Johnson

An Athens gang member who goes by the name “Triggahappy” has been indicted for allegedly shooting someone for a woman because she was having a dispute with the victim concerning money.

Hanif Rahim Ali, 30, is charged in the indictment with aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

According to Athens-Clarke County police, the incident for which Ali is charged happened in December at the Parkview Homes apartment complex.

A woman allegedly brought 52-year-old Miguel Zacarias Rodriguez there to violently settle a dispute with him that concerned money. When they arrived at a location in the 100 block of Florida Avenue, police said, Ali shot the man in the leg.

The woman, Simoane Binns, was charged with aggravated assault. Prior to the incident she had told the victim that she “would have someone harm him if he did not give her more money” and the victim was subsequently shot in a “set up,” according to an arrest warrant.

Binns’ case has yet to be presented to a grand jury for possible indictment.

Ali, who since being arrested has been jailed without bail being granted, is known in local law enforcement circles as being affiliated with the Bloods street gang.

A photo that was taken in prison with a prohibited device

According to court documents, a detective once saw a notebook in Ali's bedroom that was described as a gang "bible," or "book of knowledge," which contained handwritten gang rules, lists of names and the gang's history.

A five-point star on the notebook's cover was "a symbol of the People Nation," of which the Bloods gang is a part, according to records.

"(I know) from training and experience that the possession of a gang bible or book of knowledge is another indicator that Mr. Ali is affiliated with a criminal street gang," the detective wrote in an affidavit for a warrant to search Ali's Facebook account.

Ali was once arrested and prosecuted for criminal street gang activity, and he is known by police to use the gang nicknames of Triggahappy and Hanif Blood.

Another officer wrote in a report about a dangerous encounter he had with Ali in an area at Rolling Ridge Apartments that was known for gang activity:

The officer said that he was patrolling the complex early one morning when he came across Ali and wanted to question him about him being a suspect in a robbery earlier in the day.

The officer noted in his report that he made contact with Ali at a building that recently had been "a hot spot of gang activity" and upon noticing a bulge under Ali's sweater, he asked the suspect if he was armed and would consent to be searched.

At that point, according to the officer's report, "Mr. Ali reached into his waistband and pulled out a silver semiautomatic pistol while turning around. I began to draw my service weapon and ordered him to drop it."

Ali threw the gun and ran. After a foot chase the officer and Ali struggled. During the struggle, the officer felt Ali unsnap the ammo magazine pouch on his belt.

"Having seen at least one pistol, unsure if he had another and fearing that he was attempting to gain a hold of one of my weapons,” the officer stated in his report. “I delivered two hammer fist style strikes to the side of Ali's head. The strikes ceased Ali's resistance and he said, 'I'm done.'"