Apple Valley man dragged victim with car during drug sale in Bloomington, charges allege
A Twin Cities metro man is facing a murder charge in connection to an alleged drug sale that turned deadly on Thursday night.
The 21-year-old man from Apple Valley was charged with one count of second-degree murder, according to a complaint filed in Hennepin County on Tuesday.
Charges say police were called to the 8300 block of 11th Avenue South in Bloomington around 8:44 p.m. on a report of a man lying in the street.
Upon arrival, officers observed the victim, later identified as a 21-year-old man, suffering from severe injuries. He was transported to the hospital, where he later died. An autopsy found his preliminary cause of death to be blunt force trauma.
The victim's family told police he had been at home — just up the street from where he had been found — when he said he was going to sell the suspect some "weed," charges say.
According to the complaint, the victim's mother heard yelling and looked outside to see her son leaning into the passenger side of a vehicle, appearing to be "half in and half out," as the vehicle accelerated. The victim's family then went outside to find him in the street.
Police arrested the suspect the next day in Apple Valley. During a search of his vehicle, officers report finding a handgun and a backpack containing multiple bags of marijuana.
Charges say a search of the suspect's phone showed him and the victim agreed to meet at the victim's home for the sale of drugs. Additionally, a search warrant from T-Mobile revealed the suspect's phone had been in the area at the time of the incident.
Shortly after the incident, the suspect allegedly messaged the victim, "My fault gang I had to," according to charging documents.
The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
