The most severely injured person in the back-to-back incidents died two days later, the charges read. An unlicensed driver purposely hit four pedestrians in crosswalks in two back-to-back crashes in south Minneapolis, and one of her victims was dragged beneath the vehicle and suffered fatal injuries, according to murder and assault charges filed Monday. Sophia Elizabeth Sullivan, 38, was charged initially on Friday in Hennepin County District Court with four counts each of criminal vehicular operation and second-degree assault, and one count of first-degree assault in connection with the incidents that took place early Wednesday evening. After one victim died two days after the crash, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office amended the charges to one count of intentional second-degree murder and three counts each of intentional attempted second-degree murder and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Sullivan was arrested shortly after the incidents at her home near the scene of the second crash and remained jailed Monday in lieu of $2 million bail. She appeared in court Monday afternoon and has another hearing scheduled for June 3. A message was left with her attorney seeking a response to the allegations. The charges did not offer a motive or say whether Sullivan knew any of the victims. Officials have not released the identities of the victims. At the time of the crashes, Sullivan was driving even though her license had been revoked. She has not had a valid license for nearly a decade, a state Department of Public Safety spokesman said Monday. There have now been seven homicides in Minneapolis since last Tuesday, bringing this year’s total to 18. There were 21 homicides in the city at this time last year. According to the court filings from last week’s crash and police: A woman in her 40s and a teenage girl told police they were at the intersection of West 26th Street and Grand Avenue South and entered the crosswalk after the traffic light turned green for them. A car ran the light, hit both of them and drove off. Both were taken to HCMC. One of the females suffered a head injury, while the other had “minor burn marks caused by contact with the concrete” and some bleeding, the charges read. About five minutes later and a half-mile to the west, Sullivan stopped her car momentarily, then drove alongside a man and a woman in their 30s walking on a sidewalk. She then sped up and hit both of them once they entered the crosswalk at Emerson Avenue South. Sullivan’s car “accelerated to a high speed and plowed directly into them,” the criminal complaint read, based on video from the area. One victim was thrown 30 feet and landed next to a parked vehicle. Sullivan drove north on Emerson with the woman on the hood, until she “abruptly braked. [The woman] was thrown from the hood and landed on the road near the curb,” the charges continued. Sullivan then ran over the woman and “continued to drive down the road, dragging [the female] under the car” for about 40 yards, the court documents noted. “[Sullivan] eventually started swerving to the left and right, then turned into a parking lot, causing [the woman] to come out from under the car. [Sullivan] then appeared to run over her with the rear tires.” Thanks to surveillance video, officers quickly caught up with Sullivan at her home that night and arrested her. Her car was parked outside. It was heavily damaged and appeared to have blood on it. Sullivan acknowledged driving the car within the time when the crashes occurred. Both victims in the second incident were taken by emergency medical responders to HCMC. The female suffered numerous injuries, and she died Friday, said police Sgt. Garrett Parten. The man suffered a broken wrist and other injuries. Paul Walsh is a general assignment reporter at the Minnesota Star Tribune. He wants your news tips, especially in and near Minnesota. Minneapolis Doğukan Günaydin was arrested March 27 by plainclothes officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. James Duane Ortley made his first appearance on four counts of second-degree murder and remains jailed on $2 million bail. Three men were charged in a separate slaying that took place four blocks away several hours later. and Police Chief Brian O'Hara speak to reporters following a fatal shooting near Cedar and Hiawatha Avenues on April 30 Matt Sepic | MPR News fileGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories died on Thursday at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis less than two days after being shot in the head The other three victims are Joseph Douglas Goodwin All of the victims were shot near the corner of 25th Street East and Bloomington Avenue Despite suffering a serious gunshot wound to the face prosecutors say the sole survivor spoke to police and identified the shooter Police say a shooting on Wednesday is believed to be connected to the first of Minneapolis died of multiple gunshot wounds outside Mino-Bimaadiziwin Apartments on Cedar Avenue South in that incident The medical examiner said Gilbert was also Native American The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has charged James Duane Ortley Ortley is charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder His first court appearance had been set for Monday the surviving victim told officers that Ortley had been in a car with all five victims He allegedly shot the others in the car “execution-style” in their heads Investigators said they obtained surveillance video that shows one person leaving the car shortly before police arrived MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Minneapolis police say another person has died after a shooting in the city earlier this week bringing the death toll from the singular shooting incident to four Three victims who were pronounced dead at the shooting scene on Tuesday were identified Friday by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office as 17-year-old Joseph Goodwin 27-year-old Evan Denny and 20-year-old Merelle White Police announced early Friday morning that a fourth victim had died from his injuries. He was identified as a 28-year-old man who died at an area hospital and was identified by family as Leras Rainey which was confirmed by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner on Sunday Police learned of the man’s death shortly after officers arrested a man identified as 34-year-old James Duane Ortley Thursday on the 1600 block of South Fourth Street by members of an FBI SWAT team and the U.S According to a criminal complaint filed earlier this week Ortley has been formally charged with three counts of second-degree murder two counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of illegal firearm possession the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says charges will be amended to add a fourth second-degree murder charge “This was a shocking spree of violence that tore at the fabric of our community and our neighbors will carry the scars of this violence for the rest of their lives,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty “I am grateful to the MPD investigators who worked tirelessly We are committed to using every resource available to us to ensure that our community is protected from further violence.” Records show Ortley has several prior felony convictions he was scheduled to be in court at 1:30 p.m Friday for his suspected involvement in Tuesday’s shooting that hearing is now scheduled for Monday afternoon The complaint says police found all five victims from Tuesday’s shooting were shot in the head While three of the five victims died at the scene the two others were taken to hospitals for serious injuries with one of the hospitalized victims dying on Thursday The complaint notes that Victim 5 was able to communicate despite having a serious gunshot wound to their face and told police there was only one shooter The shooter was identified by street names as “Baby J” “Little J” and “Little James.” Witnesses also spoke with police and identified the suspect as Ortley Ortley told police during an interview in a separate homicide investigation that his street name was “Baby James.” The victim went on to tell police Ortley shot everyone inside of the vehicle while sitting inside it and then ran away are associated with a street gang called the Native Mob which operates in the southern part of Minneapolis as well as other parts of Minnesota Family members of one of the victims told police that all five victims were at a family friend’s home in south Minneapolis that evening but left around 9:30 p.m. The document adds Ortley was a close family friend to the victims two of the other victims who were killed as part of the five shootings throughout Minneapolis in a 24-hour period were also identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner Tiago Antonio Gilbert was identified as the victim in the shooting on the 2100 block of 17th Avenue South at around 1 p.m was identified as the victim in the shooting on the 3000 block of 15th Avenue South at around 8:30 p.m It is unknown at this time if those shootings are connected to the shooting for which Ortley was charged RELATED: Man tied to shooting that left 3 dead in Minneapolis is arrested, police say I MPD: 5 shootings kill 5 people, injure 5 others across the city Wednesday Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 Musician whose hits also included the satirical anthem Supermodel from the Clueless soundtrack died early on Thursday the singer-songwriter whose hits included the satirical anthem Supermodel from the Clueless movie soundtrack and the groundbreaking single I Kissed a Girl Sobule’s body was found in a home in Woodbury, Minnesota Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire confirmed her death in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribute “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture I was having so much fun working with her,” Porter said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter memory and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.” Sobule had been due to perform on Friday in her native Denver to showcase songs from her autobiographical stage musical which was nominated in 2023 for a Drama Desk award Sobule was remembered for a diverse body of music that ranged from deeply intimate to socially conscious themes in a recording career that spanned a dozen albums starting in 1990 with her Todd Rungren-produced debut collection Her eponymous 1995 album included two of her biggest hits Supermodel from the Hollywood coming-of-age comedy Clueless widely regarded as the first openly LGBTQ-themed song to crack the Billboard top 20 singles chart The song drew renewed attention in 2008 when Katy Perry released a different single of her own with the same title National hospitality company Apicii has revealed details of its second Stock & Bond restaurant which debuted in Oklahoma City in 2022 and is now replacing the former Bank restaurant inside the Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank building in downtown Minneapolis The company has released images offering the first look at plans for the steakhouse which it says is a "multi-million dollar concept" that will "feature heritage steak and American whiskey," with its opening set for this summer.  5Gallery5 ImagesWhen open the restaurant will seat 251 diners across 8,340 sq with seating for 89 guests inside the lounge dominated by a 40-foot central bar and "five distinctive private dining rooms" that can accommodate 8-24 diners The 1942 building was added to the National Register of Historic Places with the redesign featuring "natural walnut millwork" added to accent the original teak wood paneling Artist Aaron Petz was commissioned to create a mural of a banker and a mechanic across the building's 33-foot ceiling while work from local artists Tara Costello Tim Tozer and Jeremy Szopinski will also feature expect "classic steakhouse fare" with "heritage steaks fresh seafood and refined sides" and a selection of "signature appetizers." The heritage blank angus beef The kitchen will be headed up by executive chef John Sobojinski who has spent the last six years working under acclaimed chefs Missy Robbins and Jean-Georges Vongerichten in Brooklyn and previously worked at Wood & Paddle at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in downtown Minneapolis The drinks program will include a selection of more than 350 American whiskeys including from local producers Tattersall Distilling which will provide "several of their aged whiskeys and a specialty barreled cocktail." who previously worked for Daniel Del Prado Hospitality (Martina "From the first time I walked into the Farmers & Mechanics Bank building I knew it was the perfect location for Stock & Bond,” says Tom Dillon Stock & Bond is a celebration of the farmers ranchers and craftsmen that are the backbone of the American cattle and whiskey industries I can’t imagine a better location than the bank that was once the cornerstone in the development of so many local industries in Minneapolis over the last century." Apicii also operates two restaurants, Masa & Agava and Breva inside downtown Minneapolis' Hotel Ivy saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad in the venerable Farmers and and Mechanics Savings Bank building cereal-infused ice cream and boba shop is getting another location Minneapolis leaders and neighbors are working to strengthen connections across the city and build trust, especially as the community reels from recent violence Resident and city visitors at Neighborhood Day got the chance to cultivate meaningful relationships with about 40% of Minneapolis neighborhoods holding events for community building “The motivation is really to get more people involved in the neighborhood organizations to make sure that all voices are being heard and then information from those neighborhoods come upwards to elected officials city departments and so more folks that are involved in everyday activities and everyday decision making the more powerful city as a whole is together,” said Steven Gallagher the neighborhoods program manager for the City of Minneapolis He says Neighborhood Day is in its fourth year with food “We have around 5,000 people that participate in neighborhood organizations more voices on the table,” Gallagher said Mayor Jacob Frey says he and Minneapolis police showing up to community events allows them to come face to face with the people they try to protect “A big part of safety is making sure that we have the kind of partnerships that are set up when things are going well we’re better able to respond,” Mayor Frey said If you’d like to get involved in your neighborhood organization or find out what neighborhood you’re in you can call the City of Minneapolis at 311 This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. The parade, organised by local artists and volunteers, saw a colourful array of dancers, giant puppets and a whimsical battletrain. It made its way through several neighbourhoods on the city’s south side, drawing cheering crowds along the route. Festivities ended at Powderhorn Park with the Tree of Life Ceremony, a symbolic performance honouring the sun and the changing seasons. Organisers say the city’s Mayday Parade has been an annual celebration of art and community for 50 years. The Battletrain’s Slay-ground waits for children before the upcoming May Day Parade in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR NewsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories A three-seat Ferris wheel made entirely of scrap metal Matt Carlyle and Walker “Bones” Friend discuss the Ferris Wheel as they prepare the Battletrain for the May Day Parade in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR NewsA playground on a vehicle originally designed to be powered by a human hamster wheel A bicycle-powered ice and fish shack with moving dinosaur parts Dinosaur heads stick out of a window of the Battletrain’s Slay-ground vehicle in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR News“I always think of Southside Battletrain as a group of people that like to show the absurdity of life through by doing weird things,” said Max Ritter who joined about 15 years ago when he was in welding school and a friend advised him to check it out The heavy metal art collective is among the many colorful arts endeavors stretching people’s imaginations that are centered on the May Day festivities around Powderhorn Park a community celebration of the arrival of spring like you can express yourself in wild and different ways,” he said the battle train extends over a block and requires at least 100 volunteers to operate There are about a dozen pieces that make up the battle train though not all make it to the annual parade at Powderhorn Park each year nicknamed “Tuggy,” has the frame of a 1996 Ford Econoline van the cab of a semi-trailer and a foghorn intended for the Duluth lift bridge but rejected because of a casting flaw Members say they work primarily with materials they have on hand and with donated materials People work on the Battletrain’s Tugboat before the upcoming May Day Parade in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR News“You’ll see a number of things in the neighborhood that got dinosaurs on them because one year a whole bunch of animatronic dinosaurs was donated,” said Andrew Bendzick While Southside Battletrain is based out of a home on East 31st St and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis larger-than-life curiosities overtake the surrounding block — with support from neighbors Some of it's loud; some of it's grimy and smoky Mikey Gabrelcik’s name is engraved along the side of the Hamm’s Crusher a car cut in half and containing a 2,000-pound block of concrete intended to flatten beer cans Empty cans adorn the Battletrain’s Hamm’s Crusher days before the May Day Parade in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR NewsGabrelcik has been part of Southside Battletrain on and off since it started and said working on the Hamm’s Crusher helped him out mentally after a tough period He said the playfulness of the group is what has driven him to stay involved “It's really important for adults to play It's good for your energy,” said Gabrelcik Tosh Anderson and Mikey Gabrelcik pose for a portrait as the sun sets during Battletrain preparations in South Minneapolis May 2.Tim Evans | MPR NewsThe exact date of the collective’s origins are debated but he thinks it was around 2008 that the Southside Battletrain founders made a float out of old prop equipment from a puppeteer waited in an alleyway until a gap in the longstanding May Day parade “May Day and Southside Battletrain are intrinsically linked,” he said the group will also go where requested in the summer: Art-a-Whirl Southside Battletrain got nonprofit status last year — or became “an entity in the eyes of the state,” as Ritter puts it — with hopes of ensuring its sustainability Ritter said they wanted to get finances straight and establish institutional memory “We hope to make this a thing that lasts longer than any individual,” said Ritter the Southside Battletrain will be part of the May Day parade going down Bloomington Avenue from 28th to 34th Street starting at noon It will then station along 15th Avenue South next to Powderhorn Park where they invite people to check out the pieces and take a ride on the Ferris wheel The parade and festival are free to attend Ritter said there will also be tacos and merch Members want the public to know people of all ages and skills are welcome to join Marakah Mancini de León performs a Reiki treatment near a sign in Spanish reading which recently added wellness sessions as part of its migrant ministry and two other practitioners perform Reiki treatments in the sanctuary of St helped organize wellness sessions as part of its migrant ministry Juan Carlos Toapanta receives an acupuncture treatment in the sanctuary of St Hierald Osorto speaks to the congregation of St which holds wellness sessions after Sunday worship in the sanctuary as part of its migrant ministry Acupuncturist Kahlyn Keilty-Lucas starts a treatment at St receive acupuncture treatments in the sanctuary of St Martha Dominguez receives an acupuncture treatment in the sanctuary of St Guadalupe Gonzalez performs a Reiki treatment as Limber Saliero undergoes an acupuncture session in the sanctuary of St which recently added wellness programs as part of its migrant ministry Paul’s-San Pablo Lutheran Church receive acupuncture treatments in the sanctuary after worship during a wellness program the church started as part of its migrant ministry Spring blossoms bloom on a tree next to the entrance of St a congregation founded by Swedish immigrants in the late 19th century that has started offering wellness programs in its sanctuary as part of its migrant ministry “Just like the Lord’s light helps emotionally the body’s pain is treated as well,” said the Ecuadorian construction worker who suffers from sciatica and has worshipped at the Minneapolis church for about five months It has also added monthly well-being sessions — at no charge — with acupuncture Reiki and cupping therapy to ease the stress that uncertainty and fear have sown among the migrant community — including people in the U.S illegally and U.S.-born citizens in mixed-status families which leads to nothing good,” said Lizete Vega the church’s family engagement coordinator “People here feel that they’re protected and can be cared for spiritually “It was as if they were able to exhale a big breath,” the Rev Hierald Osorto said of the 30 congregants who signed up for the first well-being session in March at St where an outdoor mural features two traditional Swedish Dala horses between the Spanish words “sanación” (healing) and “resiliencia” (resilience) the altar table and Easter lilies were moved to make room for seven acupuncture chairs arranged in a circle facing the central cross Three massage tables were set up in front of the pews for the Reiki treatment where practitioners hold their hands on or near the body’s energy centers “To see this space be quite literally a place of healing in the place where we talk about it right at the altar Wellness practitioners and mental health clinicians say anxiety and depression among those they serve in migrant communities have spread and intensified this year Women in particular often suffer sexual violence on the journey the fear that they or someone in their families might be deported is revictimizing That makes it imperative that “safe places” exist where they can focus on wellness which helps domestic and sexual violence victims in Brooklyn Sessions that promote grounding and mindfulness are necessary to cope with the stress of both immediate crises as well as long-term unpredictability as immigration policies shift “Uncertainty is the biggest thing,” said Cheryl Aguilar director of Hope Center for Wellness in the Washington which has partnered with churches to provide mental health programs Being in community and cultivating hope is crucial because many people are responding to fear with rising anxiety all of which can have lasting consequences a clinical social worker in Houston with more than a decade of experience in migration-related trauma Howell said many of her clients in Texas are realizing they can’t live in a state of constant alarm and the respite that wellness programs can bring becomes essential but they have to keep fighting,” said Guadalupe Gonzalez one of the bilingual Reiki practitioners whose organization Paul’s in Minneapolis to offer the sessions She said she had some doubts about offering these healing practices inside a church — a large space with light flooding in and people moving through “As practitioners we feel a lot of emotions.” Several congregants who attended last Sunday’s two-hour wellness session said they felt both the energy and the connection between these healing practices and faith Martha Dominguez came bouncing down the altar steps after an acupuncture session she said she had never imagined a church would offer these kinds of “benefits.” it helps so much,” said the Mexican immigrant a roofer from Ecuador who has been worshipping at St said he had never heard of acupuncture but decided to try it “I felt like an energy that was flowing into me,” he said Vanessa Arcos tried acupuncture with her sister and her father The family started attending the church the week they arrived in Minnesota from their home state of Guerrero “It’s important to do little things for yourself.” This story has been updated to correct Lizete Vega’s job title to family engagement coordinator instead of its Latino outreach coordinator It has also been corrected to reflect that Limber Saliero has worshipped at St At Joey Goodwin’s art class in the basement of Augsburg Fairview Academy “We will all miss you,” and the initials AFA and everybody knew him and loved him at school.” “He was a really special kid,” adds Chris Harer started attending classes there in October Fellow students, teachers and staff were shocked to learn he was one of four victims who were shot and killed along 25th Street in the Midtown neighborhood Tuesday night “When you hear there was a shooting and knowing that it’s at Little Earth or on Bloomington and 25th these are the neighborhoods our kids live in,” Anderson says quietly Goodwin’s classmates didn’t want to speak during our visit but one girl showed 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the painting she made for him ‘you’ll be missed,’ with a heart symbol nearby Anderson also showed KSTP a still life that Goodwin painted before his death especially about Indigenous culture — one of those kids who drew people to him really good things ahead of him,” Harer says “To have that cut short and feeling like it was almost stolen from him.” Anderson says she visited Goodwin’s family Friday morning and he brought a lot of energy and light into a room and I think it’s going to take a long time to recover.” requested earlier by Goodwin for a project was brought to the school the day after his death Staffers say it will be made into a blanket and presented to his family There are also plans to plant a flowering crab apple tree as a living memorial to Goodwin’s life “It would leave a very nice space for his family to be able to come and remember him The academy is working on getting grief counselors to help students work through the loss of their friend Anderson says it’s important for the community to know who Goodwin was and to honor his life  “That’s why we’re hoping to share as much as we can about him so he’s not forgotten,” she declares Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Stock & Bond is the name of the Westin Hotel Minneapolis’s new restaurant If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy Apicii Hospitality Group unveiled the original Stock & Bond in November 2022 in Oklahoma City inside the First National Center the Minneapolis location of Stock & Bond possesses a financial connection situated inside the 83-year-old Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank building With seating for 251, Stock & Bond offers three options: a bar and lounge with seating for 89 guests, a 90-seat dining room, plus five private dining rooms with their own semi-private lounge space. The 1940s Art Deco building is at the heart of Stock & Bond’s aesthetic, and design firm Wilson Ishihara emphasizes that architecture by incorporating references to the farmers and bankers of Minneapolis’ past throughout Other design elements include six gilded lotus-blossom chandeliers that were originally part of the bank complemented by rich jewel tones and antique brass banker wire screens A centerpiece of the interior can be found on the bank’s original three-story where artist Aaron Petz created a mural of a banker and mechanic The restaurant’s name comes from a piece of federal legislation that dates back more than a century. The Bottled-in Bond Act of 1897 established standards for whiskey and other spirits mandating each barrel must by aged at a federally bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years that the product needs to come from a singular distillery The law is hailed by whiskey lovers as pioneering for how it protected the consumer and raised quality This place wants to sell customers a lot of brown liquor at its 40-foot-long bar There’s a collection of more than 350 American whiskeys and ryes that will be on display behind the bar and will emphasize local brands including several aged whiskeys and a barreled cocktail from Tattersall Distilling Wines will also lean in on American vineyards ranging from the Napa and Sonoma regions of California to the Willamette and Columbia valleys of Oregon and Washington Stock & Bond aims to pay homage to the legacy of American cattle and whiskey Stay tuned for updates as construction is underway Stock & Bond Posted on May 4, 2025 by in Featured // 0 Comments I was listening to Queensrÿche’s album Empire all the time The music was a far cry from the ’80s hairband scene that I was listening to at the time I wasn’t exposed to any of their previous material up to that point it was going to be an eye-opening experience The epic story following Nikki during an impressionable time in his life was told through the album Operation: Mindcrime Ever since I saw that album performed live in its entirety it has become one of my all-time favorites When I saw that Geoff Tate was coming to Minneapolis Minnesota on his Operation: Mindcrime — The Final Chapter Tour and claiming it’s the last time he will play it live the marquee on the building read ‘Geoff Tate Sold Out‘ in big letters and a long line was on the sidewalk down to the end of the block and around the corner After getting dropped off on a side street I made my way to take my place at the end of the line Security had their act together and had us inside in no time I made my way through the crowd up to the front left side of the stage where the photo pit entrance was I got a text from my friend that he found a place to park and told him I’d meet up after photos I was then joined by two other photographers that I have known for years but hadn’t seen in a while The lights went out and the opening act walked on stage Tomas McCarthy and his wife Clodagh on saxophone were joined by James Keegan on guitar They were full of energy and sounded bigger than a three-piece band Their story telling through music was top notch and Thomas’ vocals were unique as well He would hit these deep notes that reminded me of an Australian aboriginal playing a didgeridoo it made the bass bins reverberate like crazy Her beautiful voice carried over the music as she had sung a song in both Celtic and English They had an entertaining seven song set before exiting the stage As we waited for Geoff and his band to take over the stage I felt like a kid in a candy store with the anticipation building up inside As a snippet of “I Remember Now” took over the P.A. The stage was engulfed in heavy fog and human outlines were all that could be seen “Anarchy-X” took over and colored stage lights were changing in sync with the music three guitarists approached the front of the stage playing the killer guitar licks that start off the song It brought goosebumps to my arms immediately Through the smoke walked out a man dawning a cowboy hat and belted out “For a price I’d do about anything except pull the trigger for that I’d need a pretty good cause” began the journey for Nikki Geoff had chosen some very talented musicians to accompany him on this tour and Dario Parente made their way through the epic concept album with ease They kept it true to the album except for some ad-libbed parts in a few of the solos Tate at the front of the stage to sing the part of Mary She had a beautiful voice and harmonized well with Geoff Jimmy Wynen on bass and drummer Robert Baker held things together As they finished up the Mindcrime potion of the set and the band was playing “Eyes of A Stranger” I was taken back to that first time I had seen this album performed live I wish there would have been visuals of some sort The lack of the opening scene showing a nurse giving Nikki a shot to induce his flashback of his actions was needed “Kill her and get the priest as well.” It would have put the final touch on an otherwise awesome performance Geoff Tate performing Operation: Mindcrime album in  its entirety at Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on April 22, 2025 (video from Melvin Zoopers‘ YouTube page): Just when you thought the show would be over after 14 songs of near perfection the band continued with a mix of songs from Operation: Mindcrime II there were a lot of fans that had their fill and left and did not stay for the rest of the show and missed out on more great music “Empire” and “Silent Lucidity” kept the audience engaged and after a second set of eight more songs Geoff and the band dug deep to pull off a two-song encore “Take Hold of The Flame” and “Queen of The Reich” are some of the most vocally challenging songs in their repertoire I was surprised that Geoff had enough left in him to hit the highest of high notes in both songs He did drop down an octave for some of the chorus he needs to reserve his voice for future performances I felt everyone got their money’s worth on this night It’s too bad that this is the final chapter and will never be performed again live we can search YouTube and relive a live concert whenever we want Geoff Tate performing “Jet City Woman” and “Empire” at Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on April 22, 2025 (video from Melvin Zoopers‘ YouTube page): Geoff Tate performing “Silent Lucidity”, “Take Hold of The Flame” and “Queen of The Reich” at Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA on April 22, 2025 (video from Melvin Zoopers‘ YouTube page): Copyright © 2025 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes First called “Washburn Park,” the neighborhood was designed to be a fancy suburban retreat Listen and subscribe to our podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify The twists and turns of Minneapolis’ Tangletown neighborhood make it stand out on a map It’s one of the few areas of the city that deviate from an orderly grid Many of its street names are unique to the neighborhood The contrast has always made Abby Bulger curious “I have a friend that lives in Tangletown and I always got confused when I tried to get to her house following the grid system until it stopped being a grid system,” said Bulger the Strib’s reader-powered reporting project to ask: “Why is Tangletown the way that it is?” hilly tangle of streets near Minnehaha Creek was initially laid out by a landscape architect It was outside city limits when it was first developed in the 1880s with the aim of becoming what real estate agents called a “fine suburb.” That first venture fizzled as most of the lots failed to sell before the city swallowed up and surrounded the area explained neighborhood historian Tom Balcom the eventual development kept true to much of that initial vision who grew up in the area and led tours of Tangletown for the nonprofit Preserve Minneapolis for many years said the curving streets of the neighborhood create unique views as you travel through it A four-story brick orphanage once anchored the area which counted famous architect Harry Wild Jones as its first nonfarmer resident Jones designed the neighborhood’s signature water tower The neighborhood’s boundaries run from 35W to Lyndale Avenue S It didn’t get the name “Tangletown” until 1996 it was officially called Fuller (after the now-demolished Fuller Elementary School Its first developers gave it a different name altogether William Washburn first purchased the area’s more than 200 acres of farmland along with a group of investors He called it Washburn Park — not after himself, but in honor of his brother Cadwallader a onetime governor of Wisconsin who had died four years earlier Cadwallader Washburn left instructions — and a perpetual endowment — to found a home for orphans near Minneapolis The will “stipulated that the site be outside the Minneapolis corporate city limits but within a few miles of downtown that it be quality land not less than 20 acres and that it be in a desirable setting with ample natural shade,” Balcom wrote in a 1984 account for Minnesota History magazine As Washburn looked for a spot for the orphanage he was also thinking about creating a real estate development surrounding it looking for an area that was hilly and could represent a higher plane of houses and streets,” Balcom said He found it in the woods near Minnehaha Creek In an 1886 map of newly platted Washburn Park “No city in the country of the size and importance of Minneapolis is as destitute of fine suburbs; places where the men of business can get away from the noise of the city and the inconvenience of small lots and crowded neighborhoods,” the map’s accompanying text reads “The streets follow the natural depressions of the land,” the description continued noting that lots ranged from a quarter-acre to 3.5 acres The marketing also calls Minnehaha Creek a “poetic stream” and mentions that landscape architect Horace Cleveland — who had recently created the plan for Minneapolis’ parks and parkway system — supervised Washburn Park’s layout Washburn built the Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum in 1886 on the hill at 50th Street and Nicollet Avenue where Justice Page Middle School now stands Just a superintendent’s cottage still stands Jones built his own chateau-style residence called Elmwood — which remains a private home at 1 Elmwood Place Washburn Park became part of Minneapolis as the city annexed land But most of the development’s lots remained unsold “It was just a hard time back then to sell large lots split it up into smaller lots and realigned a few streets according to Balcom’s account in Minnesota History magazine and most of the neighborhood’s homes were built in the three decades that followed that was never built but still sparks plenty of local curiosity because a street still bears its name: Jones’ design for a magnificent residence he called “Rustic Lodge.” He created the plans — including a log exterior and a skylight decorated with antlers — for a woman named Nellie Mead The project replaced the original 45-foot-tall water tower which was constructed in 1893 and conveyed water from Minnehaha Creek Daniels was famous at the time for his stone and metal works as well as his butter sculptures at the Minnesota State Fair He designed and created eight plaster casts of 16-foot-tall sword-wielding figures called guardians of health They are accompanied by eight 5-ton eagles according to newspaper accounts at the time were inspired by a giant bird that attacked a worker during the construction of Jones’ house.) the Minneapolis Journal wrote about the dramatic figures that “romance is being put into the water business.” The 110-foot-tower no longer supplies water to the neighborhood and is now empty If you’d like to submit a Curious Minnesota question Why is Uptown south of downtown in Minneapolis? How did Nicollet Island become parkland with private housing on it? Why were so many of Minneapolis’ Park Avenue mansions torn down? Minneapolis plows its alleyways. Why doesn’t St. Paul? Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station? Where did streetcars once travel in the Twin Cities suburbs? Erica Pearson is a reporter and editor at the Star Tribune. Curious Minnesota First called “Washburn Park,” the neighborhood was designed to be a fancy suburban retreat. Morey’s and Trident trace their history to a broken-down truck and a crate of corn. The town gained notoriety in the 1990s. A movie (and a few marriages) followed. highly curated editorial content brings attention to hidden gems He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and an MFA in creative writing and the proud father of two adult children With more than 15 years of freelance outdoor and travel writing experience under his belt Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods Share LinkA Beloved German Bakery in Minnesota Has a New Location—and a BarThis Minneapolis bakery has been a favorite for more than a decade which he felt he just could not find in his adopted home of Minnesota he decided to take matters into his own hands and create them himself Berndt decided he should share his passion for German baked goods with his community and took his show—pretzels and bread—on the road to farmers markets and beer festivals he opened the doors to Aki's BreadHaus brick-and-mortar location in a small northeast Minneapolis space Photo by Trent Jonas for Only In Your StateBerndt's bakery proved to be so popular that A large portion of his business consisted of commercial customers he had a steady fan base of retail customers but it didn't take long for demand to bounce back was finding the help Berndt needed to keep up with it He made the difficult decision to close the retail portion of the business Berndt always anticipated the closure would be temporary He kept his existing crew and maintained his wholesale customers biding his time while he re-conceptualized the retail side of his business and found the right team of workers to help it run smoothly Berndt relaunched as Aki's BreadHaus and WunderBar in an airy riverfront space on Marshall Avenue Northeast so I ordered one of Aki's locally famous pretzels—and I'm here to tell you: It was as good as ever The first time I tried one of Berndt's pretzels Heated and served with Aki's house-made beer mustard Photo by Trent Jonas for Only In Your StateUnless and I thought its plummy spiciness was a really nice complement to the slightly salty pretzel Bread and wine have been a classic combination for millennia Photo by Trent Jonas for Only In Your StateBy the time I'd finished my pretzel, I still had a little wine left in my glass, and I decided I wasn't quite finished with my test. I ordered one of Aki's massive chocolate chip cookies to eat in the bakery and a loaf of the dark sourdough to take home with me. Thumbs up on both counts! Have you visited Aki's? We'd love to hear about your favorite small businesses in Minnesota. Choose your stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasNorthern CaliforniaSouthern CaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubscribe... This Airbnb with a fishing pond in Louisiana is an angler's paradise. The two-acre, catch-and-release oasis is stocked with bass, bream, and catfish. Thanks for subscribing. We’ll see you in your inbox! City health officials offered 87 clinics last year vaccinating underserved communities against COVID But the program was cut after the Trump administration terminated the funds The Brian Coyle Neighborhood Center was home to a handful of free pop-up vaccine clinics held by the Minneapolis Health Department last year Thanks to around $3 million in federal COVID-19 funds the city’s health department partnered with local organizations to provide free vaccinations at locations communities trust such as the Brian Coyle Center in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood “These communities have a lot of disparities and they have a lot of gaps in access to health care,” said Awol Windissa director of community health for Pillsbury United Communities “Many of them don’t trust to go and get vaccinations from other providers or they don’t have health insurance so they come to us because they trust us.” a senior public health specialist and immunization coordinator with the city said the pop-up clinics took place during evenings or weekends to better accommodate the communities they serve “It’s devastating to see how those resources were taken from our communities,” Cervantes said Community partners included violence prevention group A Mother’s Love and the Jordan Area Community Council on the city’s North Side as well as Corcoran Park and the Phillips Community Center in south Minneapolis The health department has also worked with Minneapolis Public Schools to hold several clinics at schools across the city as well as Hispanic Advocacy and Community Empowerment through Research (HACER) to reach Spanish-speaking communities but they might come to a community organization that they trust then we become trusted partners by extension,” said Luisa Pessoa-Brandao the city’s director of public health initiatives Translation services and the decision by health officials to avoid asking for any documentation made the clinics especially accessible to those without permanent legal status amid heightened fears of immigration enforcement in recent months the less vaccine-preventable diseases will spread The loss of the free clinics means fewer people will be vaccinated “It is important to take these kinds of approaches and to encourage that kind of confidence in people that they are not going to be exposed if they are undocumented,” Gutierrez said city health officials last year administered more than 800 COVID-19 vaccines more than 700 flu shots and more than 500 mpox vaccinations According to data from the Minnesota Department of Health immunization rates across the city fell during the COVID-19 pandemic about 30% of 6-year-olds citywide have not received the immunizations required by law before enrolling in kindergarten Of the 87 clinics held during last year’s efforts City health officials offered 12 different vaccines to youth at these clinics City health officials would also use the state data — which breaks down immunization coverage rates by race and ethnicity — to decide where to hold clinics A measles outbreak last year disproportionately affected the city’s Somali population fueled in part by a debunked research study claiming a link between vaccinations and autism City health officials worked with the county to hold walk-in clinics at locations like the Brian Coyle Center and administered the MMR vaccine to anyone who needed it the city held educational sessions aimed at addressing community members’ concerns “We were in a community that we know has concerns about vaccinations so we wanted to be there to answer questions,” she said to also make sure that the information is getting out on why and to try to combat the misinformation that swirls around.” Part of the withheld funds were set to expire in June while the rest was to be used by the Health Department through March 2026 Pessoa-Brandao said the city will look for funding alternatives to keep the program going the loss of the program will hurt the city’s most underserved communities “It’s not that there aren’t places in the city where people can go and get these vaccines but it’s the loss of accessibility because of the ease of access,” she said This story comes to you from Sahan Journal, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to covering Minnesota’s immigrants and communities of color. Sign up for a free newsletter to receive Sahan’s stories in your inbox. Doğukan Günaydin was arrested March 27 by plainclothes officers from the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis James Duane Ortley made his first appearance on four counts of second-degree murder and remains jailed on $2 million bail Three men were charged in a separate slaying that took place four blocks away several hours later The most severely injured person in the back-to-back incidents died two days later UPDATE: The Brooklyn Park Police Department has canceled the alert for Reality Johnson A woman who was last seen being dropped off at a Minneapolis train station has not been seen since Thursday was dropped off at a train station near the 7000 block of Humboldt Avenue North around 6 p.m Johnson has health concerns and law enforcement is concerned for her safety according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension She was wearing a cream and floral sweatshirt and gray sweatpants when she went missing Anyone who has seen Johnson or her whereabouts is asked to contact Brooklyn Park Police at 763-493-8222 The Aussie rocker added choral touches and a little humor to sweeten his long and heavy set with the Bad Seeds at the Armory There were the usual tunes about midnight-dark souls and violence and unholiness The songs that really hit hardest at Sunday night’s unrelenting Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds concert at the Armory in Minneapolis They didn’t bother recruiting an opening act and performed for nearly three hours. In just one of those hours, they covered more emotional and musical ground than most full concerts, veering between boisterous, soaring, crescendoing epics enhanced by a four-piece choir to more hushed, tender moments that would turn the three-quarters-full Armory close to pin-drop quiet. As is always the case when he’s out with the Bad Seeds, Cave himself covered a lot of ground in the literal sense, too. The lanky, 67-year-old singer would frequently jump up from his grand piano to run onto a walkway that jutted out from the stage, where he would frequently get right in fans’ faces or hold their hands. At one point early in the set during the intensely orchestrated “Conversion,” Cave marched back and forth onstage and vehemently pointed at fans over and over, loudly proclaiming the refrain to each of them: “Stop! You’re beautiful! Stop! You’re beautiful!” He sang it as if he were furious at them for thinking otherwise, too. “Conversion” was one of eight songs in the 23-song set list from the elegantly arranged, emotionally wracked new Bad Seeds album, “Wild God.” The record found Cave coming out the other end of a dark tunnel in which he mourned the deaths of two sons, one just 15. He truly seemed to want to bring light to the rest of the world as he ran in and out of the spotlight Sunday. Having a gospel-tinged quartet of backup singers was just one of many ways levity and a joyful spirit balanced out the sad undercurrent in tunes like the eerily electrified show opener “Frogs” and one of the show’s quieter highlights, “Bright Horses.” Two of the “Wild God” tracks, “Cinnamon Horses” and “Joy,” grew from languid-at-first ballads into triumphal, hands-in-the-air musical climaxes with help from the extra singers and the Bad Seeds’ multi-instrumental approach. This is one rock band that can blend in violin, vibraphones and even timpani the way most bands simply change up guitar pedals. Some of the older tunes that dotted the set list were given new treatment, starting with 2004’s “O Children,” about which Cave said he picked for the tour because “here we are living in a world today that can’t take care of its children.” That was followed by an ultra-manic “Jubilee Street” and muddied, tribal-sounding “Tupelo.” Between the heaviness of both the old and new songs, Cave managed to work in bits of lighthearted humor, too — starting with pretending he thought he was in Milwaukee, and including some biting banter with audience members.  The biggest laugh came in the encore when he picked out the murder ballad “Henry Lee” for the first time this tour and had to ask new bassist Colin Greenwood for the song’s musical key. “Colin knows because he’s in Radiohead, and they know stuff like that,” Cave quipped. After “Henry Lee,” all the Bad Seeds walked offstage and left Cave to finish the show by himself with a solo piano version of “Into My Arms,” a song that casts doubt on everything except the power of love. It was the lightest and simplest-sounding song in a long and very hard-hitting performance, and yet it felt like the most powerful one, too. Here’s the set list from Sunday’s Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds concert at the Armory in Minneapolis: Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas. Music Gioachino Rossini’s comic opera plays at the Ordway Music Theater in St Benson Boone’s American Heart Tour will open at Xcel Energy Center on Aug just two years after he played in town at the Fine Line The Grammy-winning Americana star heads to Minneapolis because of Prince A police officer works on the scene as a bystander is shook up by the homicide in front of 2107 Cedar Ave S in Minneapolis (Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune via AP) Police work on the scene as a bystander is shook up by the homicide in front of 2107 Cedar Ave S in Minneapolis This image provided by Minneapolis Police Department Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara talks to the media after a deadly shooting the night before on Wednesday MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Investigators strongly suspect that a pair of shootings three blocks apart in Minneapolis that left four people dead and two others seriously injured were connected and were gang related The first shooting happened late Tuesday and killed three people A bullet fired during that shooting just barely missed two young children in a nearby vehicle The police chief said at a news conference that investigators believe all of the victims were Native Americans and that the shootings had shaken the large Indigenous community in the Phillips neighborhood south of downtown He told reporters that investigators were still trying to establish a link between the shootings and he declined to speculate on a motive or give details about any suspected gang connections He said the investigation was still at its early stages The community’s saying something’s going on here You can make your own assumptions based off the facts.” “Our entire city is grieving right now,” Mayor Jacob Frey told reporters “And we know that our Native community is feeling that trauma quite acutely.” four people were shot in a vehicle and one on a nearby sidewalk a 17-year-old boy and a 27-year-old man were killed A 28-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries O’Hara said the man remained in grave condition Wednesday afternoon Wednesday’s shooting happened outside an apartment building that houses the Minneapolis offices of the Red Lake Nation tribe was that one round from the shooting went through the rear door of an SUV “and passed just beneath the legs of two children in child seats O’Hara reiterated his earlier statements that it was “very clear” that victims of the first shooting were deliberately targeted and that it was “potentially gang related.” The chief did not say whether the fatal shootings might have been connected with another nearby shooting overnight in which a man was dropped off at a hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound O’Hara appealed for anyone with information to come forward “We need everyone to stand up and say this is not OK,” he said “And law enforcement will not rest until everyone involved in both of these incidents is brought into custody Police chief responds with frustration that the state white collar employee is being spared prosecution after causing more than $21,000 in damages The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has decided not to file criminal charges against a 33-year-old man who admits inflicting more than $20,000 in damage to six Teslas in Minneapolis over a few-day span last month the office will file for Dylan Bryan Adams to be entered into an adult diversion program meant for first-time “Our main priorities are to secure restitution for the victims and hold Mr Adams accountable,” said Hennepin County Attorney’s Office spokesman Daniel Borgertpoepping in a statement we will file for pre-charge diversion to best facilitate both of those goals This is an approach taken in many property crime cases and helps to ensure the individual keeps their job and can pay restitution as well as reducing the likelihood of repeat offenses Criminal prosecution remains a possibility should unlawful behavior continue.” Adams works for the state Department of Human Services (DHS) A state database says he is a program consultant “We are reviewing the matter at this time,” read a statement from DHS sent to the Star Tribune earlier Monday “State employees are expected to follow our code of conduct and hold themselves to the highest ethical standards through their words and actions.” In recent months, people across the country and in the Twin Cities have vandalized Tesla vehicles in protest of Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as they significantly cut federal workers and programs Adams was arrested and booked into jail Wednesday morning and released Thursday afternoon “My client is very remorseful for his actions and is beginning the process of making sure the victims are made whole financially,” said Adams’ attorney Robert Paule “We are grateful for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office exercise of prosecutorial discretion and apologize to the victims and law enforcement.” Police Chief Brian O’Hara voiced frustration about Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty deciding not to charge Adams with what would have been felony counts “The Minneapolis Police Department did its job,” O’Hara said “It identified and investigated a crime trend and presented a case file to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges This case impacted at least six victims and totaled over $20,000 in damages Any frustration related to the charging decision of the Hennepin County Attorney should be directed solely at her office Our investigators are always frustrated when the cases they poured their hearts into are declined the victims in these cases often feel the same.” The estimated damage to the Teslas that Adams allegedly keyed ranged from about $1,600 on one car to $10,370 on another Participants in the county attorney’s diversion program are expected to sign a contract that could include conditions such as community service and restitution payments They are also referred to services such as chemical dependency or mental health resources Part of the goal with diversion is to reduce costs in the criminal justice system and the number of repeat offenders police showed car camera videos from four of the incidents The footage showed a man approaching each vehicle and scraping it with a key it appeared the man was writing something on the cars said she and her husband thought some of the scribbling looked like a failed attempt at a swastika Musk made a straight-arm gesture that his critics viewed as a Nazi salute Vander Hook said she bought her car before Musk assumed his advisory role and had a sticker on her car indicating her family did not support the Trump administration The six Teslas were vandalized on different dates in the second half of March Investigators were aided by Teslas’ high-quality cameras This is the second time in recent weeks in Hennepin County that law enforcement has chosen to not have a Tesla vandal prosecuted. Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said his department is yielding to the wishes of one Tesla owner and won’t pursue a criminal case against a woman who did thousands of dollars of damage to his vehicle parked outside a Cub Foods. Minnesota Star Tribune staff writer Louis Krauss and the Associated Press contributed to this report. and Police Chief Brian O'Hara speak to reporters following a fatal shooting near Cedar and Hiawatha Avenues on April 30.Matt Sepic | MPR NewsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories a man was fatally shot several blocks away and authorities believe the two shootings may be connected “It’s been a horrible and tragic day,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a news conference early Wednesday afternoon near the scene of the second shooting in which a man in his 30s was killed near Cedar and Hiawatha avenues Frey said community members had told authorities it may have been in retaliation for the shooting late Tuesday near the corner of 25th Street and Bloomington Avenue 20-year-old woman and 27-year-old man died Minneapolis police said the early investigation indicated the first shooting was targeted Authorities have not released the victims’ names but both Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara offered condolences and assurances to the city’s Native American community in their remarks Wednesday O’Hara said that based on information he had as of Wednesday afternoon he believed all the victims of the shootings were Native “The message to our Native community is that we stand with them We’re going to do everything possible to bring these perpetrators to justice,” Frey said our entire enterprise will not rest until we get the job done and we’re going to do it hand-in-hand with them.” O’Hara noted that a bullet fired during the Wednesday shooting went through the back door of an SUV narrowly missing an infant and toddler seated inside “We’re going to continue engaging with the community and do everything we can to help increase their sense of safety,” O’Hara said near the corner of 25th and Bloomington Avenue O’Hara said officers responded to a report of shots fired just before midnight Two others — a 20-year-old woman and 28-year-old man — were taken to a hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries Police said four of the victims were found in a car Authorities have not released other information on the circumstances of that shooting Wednesday afternoon’s shooting was reported just after 1 p.m Officers from several agencies responded and found an injured man; he died at the scene Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was asked at the Wednesday news conference whether the two shootings are related we’re going to allow the evidence to take us where it is — but of course we believe that’s a strong possibility,” he said O’Hara said he’s confident that investigators are making progress in finding those responsible for the shootings but called on the people to share any information they might have Community-led organizations were planning events to kick off American Indian Month in Minnesota Thursday Spiritual leaders are expected to hold a prayer event beginning at 10 a.m a small park near the intersection of Cedar Avenue and 26th Street in the Phillips neighborhood “It’s very hard on the community,” said Robert Lilligren president and CEO of the Native American Community Development Institute and it’s especially disheartening when it’s on the eve of such an important and festive celebration a celebration of a new building at the Indian Health Board and a powwow at the Minneapolis American Indian Center Those events have been canceled due to the shooting Mayor Jacob Frey says there’s less homelessness Homeless people say they’re just less visible Driving through the streets of south Minneapolis, the change is clear. For years, homeless encampments pinballed from one vacant lot to another leaving behind fenced highway underpasses and barren hillsides Mayor Jacob Frey credits a combination of policing and outreach for the new look of the South Side where only a scattering of small encampments remain But Frey said the city first had to marshal the staff needed to sweep the largest camps — some numbering more than 100 people — against protesters That resistance included homeless people and activists Only once the entrenched camps were gone could police consistently prevent new ones from forming the strategies we are utilizing are working,” Frey told the Minnesota Star Tribune in a recent interview “We have seen a dramatic reduction in unsheltered homelessness in our city.” A number of homeless people and those who help them are skeptical that closing encampments is getting people housed according to interviews with the Star Tribune They say it’s pushing homelessness farther to the margins Volunteers Tamara Kittelson and Andy Taylor used to deliver brown-bag meals to the camps but those they help don’t really congregate anywhere now Kittelson and Taylor parked at the end of a street overlooking the Franklin Avenue light-rail station and a trickle of haggard-looking people dragging sleeping bags and miscellany poured out They gladly accepted the couple’s offers of chicken mac and cheese Nineteen-year-old Quina Rios said she can’t pitch a tent anywhere “‘cause the cops would come and break it up.” “We can’t even just stand somewhere,” she said say ‘y’all gotta move.’ Just every time we see a cop car Rios said she didn’t know where she would sleep that night but she knew a few places where she could stay a few days any door that’s unlocked in Minnesota,” said Tea Davis standing with bulging tote bags near the fence of an affordable housing complex for American Indians “They get in apartments and then stay in laundry rooms Minnesota has many resources for homelessness it seems impossible to move into an institutional shelter with rules against using people “literally do more drugs to stay up all night,” she said homeowner Donna Neste told the Star Tribune she confronted encampment organizers as they erected yurts across the street from her house Volunteers disarmed her and pushed her off advised her against taking matters into her own hands and claimed theirs were tied she felt the city had not prioritized the drug crisis with its stranglehold on the chronically homeless The Frey administration closed 17 encampments, affecting hundreds of homeless people, in the second half of 2024, Minneapolis’ Regulatory Services Director Enrique Velazquez told the City Council last month The city spent more than $330,000 in total Minneapolis adopted its new approach to homelessness after Fourth Precinct Police Inspector Charlie Adams “helped illuminate” how he directs his officers to suppress tent encampments in north Minneapolis as soon as they appear “As soon as they were able to identify people that were living out in the open “What we typically saw was more people living in vacant buildings [in north Minneapolis].” said Chief O’Hara’s approach was not influenced by input from Adams 311 and 911 calls near south Minneapolis encampments have decreased by nearly 80% Frey and Velazquez stressed the compassion of the city’s approach While encampments were being swept last year two outreach coordinators spread information about Hennepin County resources The city’s outreach coordinators aren’t caseworkers and they lack the ability to track homeless people by name and assess anyone for disability services But they would “surveil the city and look for people,” Velazquez said “They are going out to every place where we know of,” he said doing different things to try and build that trust so that at some point that individual that’s experiencing unsheltered homelessness Minneapolis now employs five outreach coordinators Comprehensive data on homelessness is hard to come by On April 2, Frey proclaimed on the social media platform X that only “27 people are experiencing unsheltered homelessness across our city." He posted the figure from his political account in response to criticism from state Sen Minneapolis now publishes its own dataset showing a rough count of people still living in more than a dozen micro encampments Its methodology includes outreach coordinators visiting known camps and eyeballing the people present at the time Velazquez said when the dashboard figure plummeted to 21 people on April 3 the number included those city staff have found living in their cars — just seven He could not say how many people were living in vacant buildings when the city boasts of a rapid reduction in tents to what extent its data encapsulates other forms of unsheltered homelessness co-directors of the Wilder Foundation’s Minnesota Homeless Study said the wider problem of unsheltered homelessness includes people who sleep on trains and live in cars hide in unheated cabins and condemned buildings nap in libraries by day and walk around at night Because some stay in overnight shelters and couch-hop with friends some of the time it’s best to look back on where an individual slept over a month or more Sales said she would “love for it to be true” that Minnesota’s largest city has almost solved unsheltered homelessness “We’ve worked with enough homeless service providers and folks that are working in the housing stability space that I don’t get the sense that they’re feeling that way,” she said On April 8, Hennepin County staff presented data from Minnesota’s Homeless Management Information System showing 628 people experienced unsheltered homelessness countywide over the last three months, with outreach workers managing to contact 271 in the last month. David Hewitt, director of Housing Stability at Hennepin County, wrote: “We have historically estimated 85-90% of the unsheltered count is in Minneapolis.” In the first week of April, all emergency shelter beds for men were reserved by midday, according to Adult Shelter Connect, the intake hotline. Decker Gerrard said the city should be commended for championing housing development. “But, like we said, it is so important to make sure that we’re understanding the depth and breadth of the problem and not just moving it to another spot,” she said. On a recent afternoon, a police squad car inched past Franklin Library, dispersing a group of people gathered along its fence. Billy Pennington remained with his shopping cart full of personal effects. Mobility issues prevented him from scattering with the others. “The aggression though, on homeless folks, has increased dramatically,” he said. Encampment activist Nicole Mason still drives through the alleys of south Minneapolis looking for homeless people, shouting out of her van about breakfast cooking at the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center. Along Franklin Avenue, people wore blankets in doorways, crowded bus shelters and slept in the flower bed in Aldi’s parking lot. Over pancakes at the drop-in center, a group derided the city’s narrative. “A lot more people are piling into that one friend they know, who’s on [Housing Support],” said Joe Johnson, who sleeps in a stairwell. “They don’t give a [care] about management because they don’t have anywhere to go. They’re scared.” Anyone experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County can call 612-204-8200 to learn about resources. Susan Du covers the city of Minneapolis for the Star Tribune. Davis Moturi sits with his dog at his home on March 24 in Minneapolis Moturi was shot in his yard last fall by his white neighbor.Kerem Yücel | MPR NewsPlayListenDavis Moturi reflects on failed pleas to Minneapolis police that led to him being shot in his own yardGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories unable to shake the burning image of his neighbor pointing a gun directly at him through the bedroom window that neighbor — a white man named John Sawchak —  had brandished a large knife from his own upstairs window next door Sawchak had screamed racial slurs at Moturi soon after Moturi and his wife Caroline moved into the small house on Grand Avenue in the Lyndale neighborhood of Minneapolis It was the first home they purchased — a milestone the young couple had little time to celebrate before the torment began He could still hear Sawchak bang pots and pans then blast air horns outside their bedroom window He recalled the feces shoved in his mail slot felt the terror of Sawchak encroaching on him with a long gardening tool and screaming that the neighborhood had become “ghetto” ever since he moved in Moturi imagined he must be living on an island — far from a police station where he could get any help The 5th Precinct police station was one mile away pleading with them to do something for a year now but they said they couldn’t do anything if Sawchak didn’t come outside which Moturi later learned was what a Black family who previously lived in their house did facing similar threats and no relief from the police He thought of Black people who stayed in their homes in the same city standing their ground through hurled rocks and mobs through white neighbors who wanted them out though he had preparations in place if he didn’t He made a note to keep looking into renting a billboard to broadcast his pleas and pressure the police into saving him Moturi was shot while trimming a tree in his front yard It took the police about five days after that to arrest Sawchak Police cruisers block off the intersection of Harriet Avenue South and 36th Street as members of the Minneapolis Police Department attempt to execute an arrest warrant of John Sawchak on Oct Tim Evans for MPR NewsThe prosecution of Sawchak — who is still in custody — is on hold after doctors found him mentally unfit to stand trial MPR News combed through court documents and spent hours with Moturi as he continues to recover from a year of torment police apparently couldn’t stop until after the trigger was pulled What emerges is a portrait of frustration and terror that has left Moturi unable to find peace It’s been more than 160 days since Moturi was shot The bullet broke two ribs and lodged near his spine but there’s a lot more that the surgical procedure couldn’t fix occupying his body as he has attempted to heal “It’s like John is still here,” Moturi said sitting on a couch in the same home his neighbor wanted him to leave There are the physical symptoms — the incision that keeps reopening the aches in his ribs mimicking heart pain the tenderness in the path where the bullet traveled through and the numbness that followed he said — of which there’s no timeline for when he’ll feel normal again “I just feel like a different person,” Moturi said he wakes up and feels the creep of anger again remembering how he and his wife were forced to endure it all alone It’s the new déjà vu that replaced watching his back The outlets that used to bring him joy either don’t feel the same anymore or physically hurt him to do Moturi doesn’t want to go out with friends even though he used to be the one pitching social plans every weekend He can’t rollerblade and wouldn’t want to anymore something to take his mind off of everything — until he feels a hard ache in his ribs and remembers what happened Until he sees a cop car drive by and it feels like his head might explode Until he sees Police Chief Brian O’Hara lauding the police department’s progress toward reform “It doesn’t let me forget what happened and forget what the people did,” he said but most of the anger is directed toward the city and the police who did nothing — because they had a chance to stop it numerous times “And I know I didn’t have the right complexion for protection And it showed by the way they treated me throughout that whole experience.” Moturi said he expected unfair treatment from police when cops followed his car and unnecessarily searched it — for no crime but sitting parked in a suburban neighborhood There was an unreasonable search in 2018 on Hennepin Avenue — apparently justified by a license plate light that was out when Moturi was near a parking garage in Uptown two officers yelled and cussed at him to come back so they could question him Moturi saw on social media that cops were looking for Black men on ATVs in the area their eyes lock on me and instantly I was like ‘Oh OK.’ I know that look because I’ve seen it before from officers,” he said “I could turn around and leave and just not have this interaction Despite dehumanizing interactions with police Moturi said he looked to MPD for help when Sawchak began harassing him one of the officers who he believed profiled him then showed up the first time he reported an incident with Sawchak in October of 2023 The neighbors had been arguing about a tree on their shared property line according to court documents filed a year later when Sawchak started hurling racial slurs — then crossed into Moturi’s lawn with threats to “take care of” him He reportedly directed sprinklers at Moturi’s house Davis Moturi stands in the front yard of his home on March 24 in Minneapolis.Kerem Yücel | MPR NewsAt that point, Sawchak already had an extensive record with the police and courts, stretching back nearly two decades. His record included a criminal conviction for slashing the tires of a Minneapolis Police Department officer which barred him from possessing firearms There was also an active warrant for Sawchak’s arrest after he failed to show up to court in 2023 after being charged for striking an elderly neighbor with a 4-foot piece of wood She had filed two restraining orders against Sawchak — and wasn’t the first of his neighbors to do so A Black mother of three young children had filed two restraining orders against Sawchak over continuous harassment — never resulting in an arrest Sawchak had screamed at her son while he showered and even attempted to burn their house down Her children were afraid to go to the bus stop police officers said they couldn’t arrest Sawchak if he didn’t come outside or to the door even as the threats escalated and he secured a restraining order against his neighbor by April Moturi said the police told him the same story: they just couldn’t get him Moturi said there were times when he called and received a response hours later — if at all “It made me feel like I was in some sort of movie set in the ‘50s where the Klan is attacking this Black guy and his family and the police do nothing,” Moturi said “Or they’re in cahoots with the Klan and they look the other way Moturi had called the police at least 19 times When that never seemed to amount to anything, he turned to sending out emails like a lifeline, hoping someone would tug: the mayor, the police chief, 311, prosecutors, “half the city,” he said, even the feds. In February of 2024 who continuously raised the issue with police leadership — to apparently no avail “You’re only extending that hand to a certain group of people.” Moturi tried to install cameras on the side of his house at the start of March of 2024 Sawchak approached him with a long gardening tool with a metal end He said he would put Moturi in the hospital like he had put other people prepared to defend himself after months of threats he received a phone call from a top officer in the fifth precinct The officer told him prosecutors wouldn’t press charges against Sawchak because Moturi had brandished a gun and wasn’t doing himself any favors — a claim that confused and troubled him Moturi said it felt like he was being threatened into silence Why else would he receive a random call with no clear protocol driving it MPD would not comment on this incident while it may be under review from an external investigation Sawchak allegedly attacked Moturi with a shovel Moturi said Sawchak approached him outside yelling at him to get off his property — though Moturi was on his own side cleaning up feces that he says Sawchak had placed there Moturi was able to physically restrain his tormentor Moturi said he asked his neighbors to call the police — and they explained that Sawchak was a known threat in the neighborhood and the subject of restraining orders and warrants yelled at him as if he had been the perpetrator — then comforted Sawchak ignoring pleas to arrest him now that he was in their reach Moturi said his neighbor darted back inside Court documents do not include this incident Moturi has an audio recording from a later police interaction in which an officer says he had heard what had happened and apologized for the actions of the officers who apparently let Sawchak go It took about six months from the onset of the harassment before Sawchak was charged with a misdemeanor for causing emotional distress to another person It wasn’t until early July — more than eight months from the onset — that Sawchak was charged with a felony for threats of violence Davis Moturi and his wife Caroline pose for engagement photos in 2021.Celisia StantonAnd that happened after Moturi’s wife Caroline was outside cleaning up human feces that Sawchak had allegedly left on their lawn Moturi reported that Sawchak had threatened him with a six-inch knife the night before declaring “I should have killed you last night.”  Caroline Moturi reported receiving death threats while cleaning up the feces “A warrant was only issued when I, his white wife, reported I was being verbally threatened,” she wrote in a GoFundMe that remains open for the Moturi family Sawchak remained free and continued to threaten Moturi and his wife for more than three months in late October Sawchak allegedly fired at Moturi from an upstairs window Caroline Moturi found him in a fetal position bleeding on the ground near the front door The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed charges including attempted murder Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty noted that prosecutors had not been informed of Sawchak pointing the gun or brandishing a knife and screaming racial slurs earlier that month “Those cases were not submitted to us by MPD so we were unaware of them until Mr. Moturi was shot,” she wrote in an email to council member Andrea Jenkins “We have included those crimes in the attempted murder complaint.” Several city council members penned a letter to Mayor Jacob Frey and O’Hara expressing “utter horror” at MPD’s “failure to protect” Moturi “We further urge MPD and the Mayor to offer a full explanation of how and why MPD has once again failed to do its job and a Black man has once again paid the price,” the letter reads Moturi said his anger with MPD isn’t just about what they didn’t do — but what its leadership said after the shooting Despite more than a year of escalating harassment — including physical attacks and a slew of racist aggression — the police chief initially placed more blame on Moturi than he did his own department O’Hara faced the public and said the victim was injured while cutting a tree the suspect had threatened him not to touch He said the situation had escalated “in part” because of actions from the victim — adding that the victim hadn’t personally called a lieutenant who had offered his number for when the neighbor appeared outside He said the lieutenant had visited the suspect’s house at least 20 times Due to the suspect’s history of mental illness and firearm possession the likelihood of an armed violent confrontation was high the “rhetoric around policing” makes it harder for officers to do their job “Anyone who suggests that the cops don’t want to arrest this person is simply wrong They’re scared of being prosecuted if they get into a situation where they make a mistake trying to do their job and protect the public,” he said “If we do go in with a SWAT team and wound up in a deadly force situation the headlines would read ‘MPD shoots a mentally ill person.’” A Minneapolis Police bobcat rips out a window frame from a home as members of the Minneapolis Police Department attempt to execute an arrest warrant of John Sawchak on Oct Tim Evans for MPR NewsMoturi remembers watching all of this from his hospital bed He had called the lieutenant at least eight times none of which saved him during his year of hell too — and why hadn’t the chief so much as alluded to the racism “I never expected to be talked about in that way by somebody of that stature,” Moturi said months later wondering how it would have been framed if he had died “I’ve called the cops 30 times to get help you do all these things and you’re still painted as the aggressor.” O’Hara switched course at a press conference admitting the department “failed this victim 100 percent” and had not acted with enough urgency — though he said understaffing had an impact I am sorry that this happened to you,” he said The department had not yet arrested Sawchak that the chief and officers had his “full support.” Frey later issued a statement that plainly stated the chief would be keeping his job as some called for O’Hara to resign O’Hara said they were working to exhaust options for resolving the situation without force and promised a full review of the incident That night — nearly five days after the shooting — Sawchak was arrested after an hours-long SWAT operation that ultimately resolved when police told him they were about to use gas in the building In the days after that, the Minneapolis Police Department also announced a partnership with the Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP to help resolve disputes between neighbors through community mediation The goal at the time was to launch last December Minneapolis NAACP president Cynthia Wilson said the framework for the pilot program was approved by MPD on March 18 — six days after MPR News asked for an update That hasn’t felt like any step toward justice for Moturi he sees it as “window dressing.” That partnership wouldn’t have changed anything for him He wasn’t afraid to call the police and he rejects the notion that it was a dispute “It was a racist who wanted me to leave because of the color of my skin,” he said A week after Moturi was shot, city officials announced there would be an independent review of the events leading up to the incident the city auditor announced it was taking up a review and put out a request for an outside group to take that on “MPD remains fully engaged in this review process and is committed to implementing necessary changes procedures and partnerships to address any identified gaps when these reviews are concluded,” Sgt the department’s public information officer He wrote that “MPD has conducted a thorough review of the violent incident involving Davis Moturi.” the department did not provide updates on disciplinary actions or changes implemented in the department as a result of the shooting and the events that led up to it noting they would not speak on the case until the city’s external audit is complete Parten added that the Moturi family was offered the opportunity to meet with O’Hara in October but they declined and told MPD they would reach out if they changed their minds Moturi confirmed that MPD made the offer while he was still in the hospital he denies saying they’d reach out if they changed their minds John Sawchak’s house remains empty while he is held in custody The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said it was putting a pause on prosecution after a doctor concluded that Sawchak was mentally unfit to stand trial A home with boarded-up windows and doors is seen on March 24 in Minneapolis.Kerem Yücel | MPR NewsThey had objected to an incompetency ruling earlier this year but withdrew that after a second evaluation Sawchak to remain in custody and we will resume our prosecution should he be restored to competency The safety of the victims and our community remains HCAO’s top priority in this case,” the attorney’s office said in a statement The windows on Sawchak’s house — which is on the brink of foreclosure — remain boarded up Moturi has stayed next door and intends to keep it that way He said after refusing to give up his house he and Caroline plan to hold onto the property for the rest of their lives he waits for someone from the police department the mayor’s office or city auditor’s office to reach out to him with questions about what happened He lost faith in them coming to him long ago Warrants have been issued for the arrest of three men for their alleged roles in the second in a string of deadly shootings last week in Minneapolis Court records show charges were filed Friday against Victor Joseph Vasquez-Rodriguez of Minneapolis; and Raphael Joseph Rodriguez The defendants are accused of shooting and killing 34-year-old Tiago Antonio Gilbert on Wednesday afternoon outside the Red Lake Nation Embassy and Mino-Bimaadiziwin Apartments and Wellness Clinic near the intersection of Cedar and 17th avenues identified as Jose Vazquez-Rodriguez and Raphael Rodriguez walking on the sidewalk when a silver sedan pulls up alongside them is seen getting out of the car before he and Jose Vazquez-Rodriguez shoot at the victim Video shows the two gunmen continue to shoot at Gilbert as he runs away from his car and while he is lying on the ground All three suspects then get into the sedan told police Gilbert had tried to get his gun from the car after the two men started shooting She also said her two young children were inside the victim’s car as it was being shot at but Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said one bullet passed just underneath them The shooting came 13 hours after a massacre a few blocks away that killed four people O’Hara said investigators were looking into whether Gilbert’s killing was retaliatory A third deadly shooting happened later Wednesday night the sixth shooting death within the city in less than 24 hours RELATED: Native community mourns those lost during violent 24 hours in Minneapolis Jose Vazquez-Rodriguez and Victor Vasquez-Rodriguez are each charged with one count of second-degree murder; Raphael Rodriguez faces one charge of aiding an offender none of the three defendants were in custody police found Jeanie Childs brutally killed in her south Minneapolis apartment Betty Eakman learned the victim was her daughter and the lady decided she wanted a television on and they said there had been a body taken out of the building that was murdered "I know that my daughter was crying for me Someone stabbed the 35-year-old roughly 65 times "What makes you kill someone and afterwards cut their stomach open to the point where your intestines are showing after a person's dead you got to be really angry," Childs' sister Cindy Blumer said but her family loved her and said she was happy She started running away at 13 years old and later worked as a sex worker "She made some bad decisions in her life but she didn't deserve to die that way," Blumer said Bart Epstein responded to the scene at the Horn Towers in 1993 he worked as a forensic scientist for the BCA and there was some movement around and pretty brutal," Epstein said Crime scene investigators collected what would become key evidence Initial evidence included a bloody footprint "One of the reasons DNA makes a difference in these long-term unsolved cases is witnesses are sometimes unavailable or have changed but DNA is a compelling piece of evidence in that it can put somebody at the scene," FBI special agent Chris Boeckers said A bloody footprint would become the footprint to murder you could identify what would appear to be the perpetrator that was there," Epstein said Investigators tracked down leads in the years after the murder Eakman always held onto hope her daughter's killer would be brought to justice I had to know why and who did it," Eakman said because she never gave up," Blumer said Cold case investigators reopened the case in 2015 Another case halfway across the country gave investigators an idea we heard and read and followed the Golden State Killer case in which investigative genealogy was used It was really striking when we called out to California 'You are going to identify who did this using this technique,'" Boeckers said The team used DNA and forensic investigative genetic genealogy to identify a suspect It led them to a hockey dad with a checkered past Investigators followed Jerry Westrom and eventually obtained his DNA by grabbing a napkin he threw away in a garbage can after eating a hot dog at a hockey game in Wisconsin we could see that he wiped his mouth with the napkin He reached up and wiped the left side of his mouth and went back into the arena for the second period of the game," Boeckers said The DNA from the napkin matched the DNA left at the crime scene which BCA forensic scientist Andrea Feia tested "The known sample from Jerry Westrom ended up matching the semen that was identified on the comforter and the towel in the bathroom It was clear that he was part of a mixture that was in on the washcloth And then there was a DNA profile that matched him on the red shirt and on that blood on the sink It was the first suspect that we had developed in the state of Minnesota using forensic investigative genetic genealogy," Feia said Minneapolis police supervisor of forensic science Mark Ulrick got footprints from Westrom and did the analysis saying he's confident Westrom's footprint matches the bloody footprints left at the crime scene "The science of friction ridge skin doesn't change between fingerprints or footprints or palm prints just in a different place," Ulrick said The Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged Westrom with second-degree murder a few days after his arrest "Sometimes speculation about why the person did it because our job is to pull together the facts to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said at the time WCCO learned the hockey dad had multiple convictions for driving while intoxicated along with two arrests for soliciting a prostitute A grand jury would later indict Westrom on first-degree premeditated murder A jury convicted him after two hours of deliberations It's a question of who did it," Meshbesher said Jury foreperson Derek Fradenburgh said everyone came to the same conclusion: Jerry Westrom was guilty "What ties him to the scene and why we convicted him is the bloody footprint in conjunction with his DNA being found at the scene," Fradenburgh said there's plenty of reasons why anyone could have left DNA there bloody footprint that you know is that we had three different people say We know he was there at the time when she was murdered." "I just hope that he can close his eyes at night and see her face every night And I really don't want her being blamed for what happened because his choice was the wrong choice," Eakman said Blumer says some people probably think that about Childs But I don't believe that," Blumer said Did not deserve to be slaughtered like an animal I want people to know that he could have left the apartment and my daughter would still be here," Eakman said Westrom is eligible for parole after 30 years in 2052 Westrom appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court The court upheld first-degree murder but vacated the second-degree murder conviction Supreme Court justices declined to hear his case Westrom asked the Great North Innocence Project to take his case Westrom said he'd sit down with WCCO after his conviction is overturned Childs' family is finding more peace while still feeling the loss part of your heart leaves with them," Eakman said "You don't really recover from that," Blumer said As the murder of five Indigenous people in south Minneapolis continues to send shockwaves across the state one of the alleged killers made his first court appearance in Hennepin County on Monday wearing a green vest that denoted he was a risk to himself or others stood in front of Judge Maximillia Utley to face four counts of second-degree murder one count of attempted second-degree murder and one count of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm Ortley allegedly shot five acquaintances in the head inside a car last week Rainey’s parents were sitting in the courtroom Monday said he knew Ortley and the reasons he’s heard for the killing run the gamut and defy explanation “All these kids came up on the South Side,” he continued “They’re all friends in the neighborhood coming up Ortley’s bail will remain set at $2 million for the time being as his attorney Assistant Hennepin County Public Defender Brooke Adams requested a future trial date that was set for June 25 three men were charged last week with second-degree murder for the shooting death of Tiago Antonio Gilbert That killing happened the following afternoon The recent shootings have reverberated through Minnesota’s Indigenous communities from south Minneapolis to northern Minnesota Red Lake Nation is offering counseling services through the Native American Community Clinic and said in a statement that “These acts of violence are not only tragic — they are a direct threat to our communities.” Ortley’s Monday hearing coincided with National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives marches and ceremonies were held Monday to recognize the epidemic of violence facing Indigenous people said the last time he saw his son was the night he was killed “He left the house real happy,” Robinson said “Told us he was going to go see his friends and he’d be back in a couple hours.” they held a prayer fire for Rainey to help shepherd his spirit Senior Hennepin County Attorney Judith Cole said there wasn‘t any current option for conditional release from jail for Ortley because there is a federal hold on him Court records indicate there are no active federal cases against Ortley but there is one pending charge from the U.S which aided in the search and effectuated the arrest of Ortley last week The charges against Ortley brought by the County Attorney’s Office indicate he is a member of the Native Mob one of the largest and most violent American Indian gangs in the U.S which originated in Minneapolis and operates in Minnesota In recent years, federal prosecutors have brought racketeering charges against gangs in the Twin Cities, including the Bloods, Highs and Lows The killings Ortley allegedly committed were followed by the fatal shooting of Gilbert second-degree murder charges were brought against Victor Joseph Vasquez-Rodriguez of Minneapolis in connection Gilbert’s murder Also charged with aiding an offender from arrest was Raphael Joseph Rodriguez All have yet to be apprehended as of Monday morning and warrants have been issued for their arrests Police have said gang retaliation might have been behind Gilbert’s death Gilbert’s family said in an online fundraising campaign that he was “a devoted father, a loving fiancé, and a cherished son, brother, and friend whose smile and warmth touched everyone he met.” The posting added that Gilbert “was working on himself, and his family would like it to be made clear that he was not involved in gang activity. He had recently completed a nine-month treatment program and moved into housing. He had a job that he cared about.” According to the charges involving Gilbert’s death: Officers arrived at the 2100 block of Cedar Avenue S. and found Gilbert, who was wounded, in the street. He was pronounced dead at the scene. A 911 caller reported seeing a car fleeing the area and provided its license plate number. Officers soon found the car behind Raphael Rodriguez‘s home. Surveillance video of the crime scene showed both Victor Vasquez-Rodriguez and Jose Vasquez-Rodriguez shooting Gilbert on the street. Gilbert ran before he was shot again and then shot while on the ground. The two shooters and Raphael Rodriguez reportedly fled in the car. Gilbert’s girlfriend told police that the two of them had gotten out of their car to have a smoke, while their small children remained in the vehicle. She said she saw two men shoot Gilbert. She said gunfire also hit their car while the children were still inside. Kim Hyatt of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story. Jeff Day is a Hennepin County courts reporter. He previously worked as a sports reporter and editor. Charges have been filed against a man accused of driving drunk and causing two crashes in short succession last summer in Minneapolis Court records show German Adriano Llangari Inga is charged with three counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation Llangari Inga was driving a Dodge Journey east on Lowry Avenue North when he crossed over the center line near James Avenue and hit a Dodge Durango head-on around 10:40 p.m A witness told police the Journey was driving fast along with her sister and 14-year-old daughter Harwell was brought to North Memorial Health Hospital but did not survive Her sister and daughter were treated for non-life-threatening injuries Llangari Inga allegedly showed signs of intoxication and officers found three open beer bottles in the car — two in the center console and one on the floor Llangari Inga said he had stopped drinking at 11 p.m. A preliminary breath test returned a blood-alcohol content of 0.172 and a blood draw later in the night registered at 0.141 Police later learned Llangari Inga might have been involved in a hit-and-run crash seven blocks away at the intersection of Penn and 34th avenues Video of that crash showed a Honda CRV was waiting at a red light to turn when the Journey rear-ended it causing it to cross the intersection and ride over the sidewalk The driver of the CRV suffered whiplash and was taken to the hospital with pain in her head Charging documents state Llangari Inga did not have a valid driver’s license or insurance He was charged via warrant and is not currently in custody 2025 at 7:12 PM UTC2 min readYahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article This means the info may not always match what's in the article Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key TakeawaysThe Brief The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has identified five victims killed in Minneapolis shootings over a 24-hour stretch earlier this week Three of the four victims in a mass shooting Tuesday night have been identified as has a man who was killed Wednesday afternoon that is believed to be retaliatory A 51-year-old man was killed Wednesday in an incident not related to the mass shooting MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Authorities have identified five people who were killed in Minneapolis shootings over a 24-hour stretch earlier this week The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office released the victim’s names on Friday Authorities say 27-year-old Evan Ramon Denny, 17-year-old Joseph Douglas Goodwin and 20-year-old Merelle Joan White were three of the four victims killed in a mass shooting at 11:52 p.m Tuesday on the 1500 block of 25th Street East and homicide is listed as the manner of death On Thursday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara announced that 34-year-old James Duane Ortley was charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the incident Ortley was scheduled to make his first court appearance Friday afternoon The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office says 34-year-old Tiago Antonio Gilbert was killed in a shooting at 1 p.m Wednesday on the 2100 block of 17th Avenue South Minneapolis police said Thursday through their investigation they believe Gilbert’s shooting death was in retaliation to Tuesday night’s mass shooting The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office says 51-year-old Derrick Lamont Ewing was killed in a shooting Wednesday on the 3000 block of 15th Avenue South The medical examiner ruled Ewing died from complications of multiple gunshot wounds Police say his death is not related to the mass shooting This report was written from press releases from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner MINNEAPOLIS — The fourth victim in a Minneapolis shooting Tuesday has been identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office died Thursday at Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis Police say a shooting Wednesday is believed to be connected to the first died of multiple gunshot wounds outside Mino-Bimaadiziwin Apartments on Cedar Avenue South in that incident This story was originally published on MPRNews.org This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara announces the arrest of a suspect in a April 29 quadruple homicide along with Minnesota U.S and FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin Winston.Matt Sepic | MPR NewsPlayListenVictims in quadruple homicide identified; suspect arrested and chargedGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories and Hennepin County prosecutors based their criminal complaint partly on the eyewitness account of a fifth victim who survived a gunshot wound to her face The Hennepin County Medical Examiner identified three of the victims Friday Paul died of gunshot wounds near the corner of 25th Street East and Bloomington Avenue around midnight on Tuesday A 28-year-old man who died Thursday has not yet been publicly identified Authorities also identified the victim of a second shooting Wednesday afternoon that police believe was connected to the first of Minneapolis died of multiple gunshot wounds outside Mino-Bimaadiziwin Apartments on Cedar Avenue South Minneapolis Police chief Brian O'Hara said soon after the Wednesday incident that one of the shooter's rounds went through a nearby vehicle and narrowly missed an infant and toddler who were sitting inside Minneapolis police announced an arrest in the case on Thursday Marshals Service task force arrested James Duane Ortley in connection with the Tuesday shooting was taken into custody in the city’s Cedar-Riverside neighborhood without incident His first court appearance had been set for Friday but it was moved to Monday to allow prosecutors time to amend the original criminal complaint to account for the death of the fourth victim Investigators do not suspect Ortley in Gilbert’s death and said the shooting may have been in retaliation for the Tuesday killings “This is a significant step forward in what has been an intense and fast-moving investigation into the most violent incident this year,” O’Hara said in a statement early Friday a surviving victim told officers that Ortley had been in a car with all five victims victims’ family members told officers that Ortley was a friend of some of the victims The injured survivor told police that Ortley was the sole shooter Prosecutors say that in interviews with law enforcement related to previous investigations Ortley had said he was part of a street gang operating in south Minneapolis Investigators said they believe Tuesday’s shooting was gang-related and that Ortley is associated with the Native Mob group Ortley is also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm He was barred from owning a gun after a previous felony conviction The quadruple homicide was followed by two more fatal shootings on Wednesday officers responded to another shooting near Lake Street and 15th Avenue South which O’Hara said was not related to the others The medical examiner identified Derrick Lamont Ewing The city’s Native American community canceled celebrations that had been planned for Thursday to mark the start of American Indian Month. Instead, residents gathered for a community prayer at a park near the scenes of the shootings. Rev. Joan Conroy, who serves as senior pastor at All Nations Indian Church two blocks from the scene of the Tuesday shooting, said she and others in the community are helping to support families in south Minneapolis who are mourning their loved ones. "We had a number of people, I would say probably about 12 people, come through so far this morning and just sit, process what's happening and go out to the fire, the sacred fire pit, and have some prayers," Conroy said Friday. "We've had a couple of police officers come in and do the same and go out and pray." Police say more officers are on patrol in the neighborhood following the string of violence. Tribal leaders said in statements that they’re working with the city to heighten security in the area as the investigation continues. Ortley has an extensive criminal record. In 2007, when he was 17, a Ramsey County juvenile court judge found him delinquent for motor vehicle theft. A year and a half later, he was sent to prison after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery. In 2013, Ortley landed back behind bars for fleeing police in a motor vehicle, a felony. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a judge handed him a five-year sentence. Then in 2021, Ortley pleaded guilty to second degree assault for stabbing a man in the back outside a bar in Virginia, Minn. A St. Louis County judge gave Ortley a suspended sentence and five years of supervised probation. Court documents show that Ortley had just over a year left on his probation in that case when authorities charged him in connection with the quadruple homicide in Minneapolis. Hennepin County jail records show that Ortley was booked into the facility on Feb. 17 after police suspected him of taking part in an early morning violent crime spree with several other people a week earlier, but he was released without charges. “Our office thoroughly reviewed the case submission and determined there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr. Ortley in connection with those incidents,” the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said in a statement Friday. According to court documents, Joseph Goodwin, the 17-year-old whom Ortley allegedly killed on Tuesday, had been charged in juvenile court with burglary and aiding and abetting second-degree assault in connection with the February crime spree for which a second juvenile and another adult were also arrested. Prosecutors say the second juvenile shot and wounded a man on 25th Avenue South after witnessing them break into a neighboring garage. Fifteen minutes later, the group allegedly carjacked a man at gunpoint at a gas station on 34th Avenue South before shooting and wounding a third victim during a robbery attempt near 32nd Street and Hiawatha Avenue. Goodwin was ordered to appear in juvenile court for a May 8 hearing before his life was cut short. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara speaks to reporters on March 25 Three people are facing charges stemming from Wednesday’s shooting in Minneapolis last week Matt Sepic | MPR NewsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories of Minneapolis and Victor Vazquez-Rodriguez Wisconsin are charged with the murder of 34-year-old Tiago Antonio Gilbert of Minneapolis Officers responded to the shooting around 1 p.m witnesses reported that two suspects fired at Gilbert while he and his girlfriend were on the sidewalk next to their parked car His girlfriend told officers their young children were in the back seat A witness told police the suspects got into a car and fled the scene after the shooting of Columbia Heights — allegedly drove the other two suspects away Rodriguez is charged with aiding an offender The medical examiner said he died of multiple gunshot wounds Arrest warrants are out for the three people charged; they are not yet in custody It was the second shooting in less than 24 hours in the neighborhood. The night before, five people were shot; only one survived. A suspect in the first shooting was arrested last week Authorities have said all the victims were Native Police Chief Brian O’Hara has said he believes Wednesday’s shooting was connected to the incident Tuesday night The charging documents do not give any details about a possible connection A criminal complaint detailing the investigation into a deadly mass shooting in Minneapolis on Tuesday accuses James Duane Ortley of entering a vehicle and shooting five people inside, with four of the victims having died The 34-year-old had multiple felony convictions over the course of more than a decade he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Ortley grabbed the victim “and began stabbing him in the back.” Prosecutors agreed to a lower sentence in exchange for a guilty plea in that case He was placed on supervised probation for five years in 2021 The sentencing order shows that a 39-month prison sentence was stayed for five years “It is fairly common in Minnesota to receive a probation sentence for that type of offense,” said Rachel Moran an associate professor at the University of St what the court was saying was if you stay out of trouble for the period of probation you won’t have to serve the prison sentence.” he was charged with DWI in neighboring Itasca County Judge Peterson still agreed to end his probation early “This one caught me slightly by surprise because there had been an allegation of a probation violation one year into the five-year period,” said Moran A District Court spokesperson referred 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS back to the court filings when we requested an interview with Judge Peterson to ask about the decision The documents show the probation officer made the recommendation after all probation conditions were met requesting probation be ended early so he could resident with his family who moved to Florda lead to second-guessing and criticizing of what the judge did,” said Moran “If probation is saying there are no warning signs here there are a lot of people for whom it’s totally appropriate to discharge early from probation.” The criminal complaint filed for Tuesday’s deadly shooting in Minneapolis details how MPD interviewed Ortley in connection to a homicide he’s accused of admitting his street name was “Baby James” and the complaint goes on to say “Officers are aware that Defendant and additional members of Defendant’s family are associated with the Native Mob a criminal street gang which operates in South Minneapolis and other areas of Minnesota.” Hennepin County Jail Roster records show Ortley was in custody as recently as February 17, 2025, but was released without charges just two days later. According to Minneapolis police, he was held as part of the investigation into a crime spree that month, during which a suspect fired at the window of a Minneapolis home, striking the homeowner in the jaw Three people were charged for that crime: 19-year-old Quayzhon Demetrius Lewis and two 17-year-olds The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office didn’t respond to our inquiry about why Ortley wasn’t charged in that February case one of the teens charged in that case is also the 17-year-old victim that Ortley is accused of killing this week MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Six people who all knew each other were inside a vehicle when one shot each of them in the head before fleeing according to newly unsealed criminal charges in this week’s mass shooting in Minneapolis Three victims died at the scene early Tuesday One remains hospitalized after being shot in the face but was able to identify the shooter to police And investigators believe a fifth person was killed hours later in retaliation A suspect in the first shooting was arrested Thursday and has been charged with murder Police say the victims were all Native Americans and the shooting was gang-related The rash of violence has shaken one of the country’s largest urban Indigenous communities The first shooting happened on Tuesday just before midnight in a vehicle parked in the diverse residential and commercial neighborhood of Phillips in south Minneapolis The county medical examiner’s office on Friday said the three who died at the scene were Evan Ramon Denny A 20-year-old woman was shot in the face and hospitalized in critical condition She said the shooter was sitting in the back seat when he opened fire on her and everyone else in the vehicle before fleeing on foot A 28-year-old man was hospitalized in grave condition but died shortly after the suspect was arrested on Thursday That victim’s name was still being withheld Friday About 13 hours later and a few blocks away a man was killed near an apartment building that happens to house the Minneapolis office of the Red Lake Nation The medical examiner identified him Friday as Tiago Antonio Gilbert The Minneapolis police chief said Thursday it was “entirely probable” this second shooting was revenge for the first said investigators were still working to determine if there was a link Police have released few other details about that homicide A makeshift memorial had sprung up by Friday at the site of the first shooting silver and black balloons were tied to a tree where a plush eagle toy was also attached The state’s 11 sovereign tribal nations issued a joint statement Thursday mourning the deaths and urging anyone with information to contact city law enforcement or their own tribal police we have always known grief,” the statement said “But we have also always experienced the strength that comes afterward We are here because our ancestors cared for one another That is how you are even here — because someone before you chose love alleges that he and members of his family are associated with a gang known as the Native Mob which operates in the city’s south and other parts of Minnesota The gang was the subject of a multiyear federal investigation over a decade ago that resulted in the convictions of 28 people Its alleged leader at the time was sentenced in 2014 to 43 years in prison Marshals Service said its local fugitive task force and an FBI SWAT team arrested Ortley on Thursday afternoon He was charged a day earlier with second-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm Ortley has a felony assault conviction on his record from 2021 which the complaint said prohibits him from possessing guns or ammunition Court records show he completed his probation in 2023 When police interviewed him in 2023 in a separate homicide investigation he acknowledged that his street name was “Baby James.” and court records didn’t list an attorney who could comment on his behalf His first court appearance is scheduled for Monday The chief public defender for Hennepin County said his office probably won’t learn if it’s representing Ortley until Monday Messages were left with several potential relatives of Ortley’s The victim who survived told police the shooter went by the street names “Baby J,” “Little J” and “Little James,” and was a friend of one of the victims according to the complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court Relatives of one victim told police that the victims were all together at a family friend’s residence in Minneapolis but left around 9:30 p.m with plans to pick up “Baby J,” who was known to be a “close family friend” of the victims The family member identified “Baby J” as the defendant Other law enforcement sources told investigators that Ortley was “an associate” of more than one victim A surveillance video was consistent with the survivor’s account It shows one person matching Ortley’s description exiting the vehicle and fleeing before police arrived The complaint gave no details on what might have prompted the shootings “This is a bittersweet day,” Police Chief Brian O’Hara said in a statement Friday “While this arrest represents meaningful progress toward justice that progress is overshadowed by the heartbreaking loss of another life Our thoughts remain with the victims’ families and a community that continues to grieve.”