2 young Mankato men charged with attempted murder in shooting linked to ongoing dispute
Two young men are accused of walking up to a residential garage in Mankato, Minnesota, and opening fire at two people inside as part of an apparent ongoing dispute.
According to court documents filed on Wednesday in Blue Earth County, the men — ages 18 and 19 — are both charged with a count each of aiding and abetting second-degree attempted murder, and aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
The victims, neither of whom were hurt, told police the facemask-clad suspects approached their garage early Tuesday evening near Hoffman Road and Victory Drive.
The criminal complaint states one of the victims, who told police he was cleaning his rifle at the time, said one of the suspects "pulled out a handgun from his waistband, cocked it, and began shooting at him."
The rifle-wielding victim told investigators he fired back about nine times and the suspects fled. Officers later found several shell casings in the garage, parking lot and on the street, as well as a mask. A vehicle inside the garage sustained bullet damage, as did two other vehicles and three residences nearby, according to court documents.
Police say footage from a neighbor's security camera showed the suspects' vehicle pull up to the residence with two masked males exiting on foot. After the shooting, the suspects — one of whom was no longer wearing a mask — returned to the vehicle and drove off, the complaint states.
Investigators later spoke with the victims' mother who said this shooting was likely connected to "a large fight at a party" involving one of her other sons. The complaint states she said that son had been shot at in two separate incidents following the party altercation.
Police eventually tracked down the vehicle spotted at Tuesday's scene and arrested both men. Court documents state one of the men was wearing a mask at the time, and a loaded handgun was inside the vehicle — the same caliber as casings found at the scene.
Each man could face up to 40 years in prison if convicted.