Minneapolis violence interrupter accused of recklessly shooting weapon
A North Minneapolis violence interrupter is facing criminal charges after he was injured during a shooting on March 10.
According to Hennepin County court records, the 35-year-old man is charged with one count each of reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality and possession of a firearm by someone with a prior violent offense.
Minneapolis police officers responded to the area of 36th and Penn avenues on a ShotSpotter activation around 9:36 p.m., charges say. Sixty-five shots were detected between 9:36 and 9:38 p.m.
Officers at the scene found dozens of discharged cartridge cases. According to charges, the man was found with gunshot wounds on his neck and shoulder a few blocks away. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Surveillance video in the area showed a crowd of people at a barbecue on the 3500 block of Penn Avenue North running once the first shots were fired, charges say. Around eight seconds after the initial shots were fired, video allegedly shows the man laying on the ground and shooting his weapon, then getting up and telling another person to "grab my chop." Chop, officials say, is a reference to a firearm.
Charges, citing surveillance footage, say the man and the person he told to grab the firearm went to Queen Avenue and fired multiple times, then got in their respective vehicles and fired more rounds before leaving the scene.
The man, who works for 21 Days of Peace, told authorities he has a conceal-and-carry permit, holds a private detective card and has firearms training. Charges say he admitted to police that he shot his firearm multiple times toward an abandoned house despite not seeing a shooter in the area.
According to court documents, the man said he knew from experience that "when returning fire, you are supposed to stop firing when the other person stops firing or turns their back."
He said he shouldn't have fired once the initial shots stopped firing but claims his adrenaline was pumping.
The man also said to police he was aware that the person he told to get a firearm has prior convictions that prohibit him from possessing one.
It's unknown who or how many people fired the initial shots.
