Another of the people arrested in the Fairmont, MN
bowling ball dropping case made a plea deal in the case. Andrew Jon
Fellerson, an 18 year old, entered a guilty plea in court. His sentence
is uncertain, but will probably lead to community service and
restitution.
Apparently the plea deal was reached after consultation
with the victims of the accident caused when the people charged dropped
a bowling ball off an I-90 overpass, striking the windshield of a big
rig truck, seriously injuring the driver.
The remaining defendants in the case, Blake Bents and an
unnamed juvenile, still face charges. To
read more about this story, click
here, and here.
5/3/08
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Update (4/29/08) The victim in this case was 15-year-old
Joquese Loyd, also known as Jacques Brown. According to reports,
Charges are expected against 29-year-old Shaunell Arrice Johnson,
arrested in the case. Reference was made to the man and the girl being
"friends." More as details emerge.
Update (4/28/08) Police have arrested one unnamed man in
connection with this homicide, but are not saying what role, if any, the
man might have had in the murder. More details as they become available.
The victim's name has still not been released.
==================================
The 1100 block of 18th Ave N was the scene of another
homicide in Minneapolis Saturday. Gunshots led to police coming to the
scene, where they found the unidentified victim dead of gunshot wounds.
No suspects are in custody, but police appear to have leads in the case.
4/27/08
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Update (4/29/08) Police have arrested Mattie Ann
Grassrope and Adam Charles Heldt in this case. Click
to see photos. No other details at this time..
Update (4/28/08) The victim in this case was Robert A.
Johnston Bavinck. He was 38 years old and died of "complex
homicidal violence," according to the medical examiner's report.
That cause of death generally refers to a beating that leads to death.
Mr. Bavinck had no permanent residents, which may link him to the nearby
transient camp. Police have no suspects in custody so far.
=================================
Friday evening, a passer-by called police to report a
body found near the Mississippi river in South Minneapolis. Medical
examiners have ruled the incident a homicide. The site, South of E Lake
St, is near an area used by transients.
The victim is unidentified and no suspects are in
custody.
4/27/08
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Update (4/13/08) The victim in this murder is 18 year
old Abdullahi Awil Abdi, originally from Somalia. Apparently he was not
involved in any gang activity, and no motive is known for the
shooting.
Police discovered a man's body in an automobile near 6th
St. and Cedar Ave on Friday night. Gunshots had been reported in the
area. The victim's identity has not been released, and no suspects are
in custody.
4/12/08
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Update (4/13/08) The identity of the victim in this
murder is now known -- Darius L. Robertson, 18, of Brooklyn Center.
Again, no suspects are in custody in this case.
Another murder victim was discovered in a yard in the
3600 block of Queen Ave. N., late Thursday. No information is available
at this time about the name of the victim or how he was killed. Updates
here as they are available.
4/11/08
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A 15-year-old boy apparently stole a car on Sunday, and
police gave chase on Lake St. in Minneapolis. Even though they
ended the chase, the boy sped on, crashing into a woman and her two
children driving to Sunday school at a local mosque. The boy fled, but
was caught by police. The woman's name is Hanna Abakur, just 26 years
old and mother of two. The children were injured.
I'm going to call this one a homicide, and add it to the
murder count. The boy is a juvenile, and I will not name him, even if
his name is released. The police officers involved in the chase are on
administrative leave, pending investigation of the incident.
It's a sad case, all around, but I have to consider it a
homicide, since it involved a stolen car, a death, and the driver
fleeing the scene. What the authorities will call it is still unknown.
4/7/08
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Update (4/11/08) Police have arrested a suspect in this
murder. John Jerome Donovan, is charged with 2nd degree murder. The
victim's name has also been released, and is Antwain D'Angelo. The cause
of death was multiple gunshot wounds.
Police are investigating a homicide in South
Minneapolis. A man's body was discovered in the 4100 block of Park
Avenue on Friday. Previous reports of gunfire in the area did not lead
to the discovery. The victim's name has not been released by
authorities, and no suspect is in custody.
4/5/08
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One defendant in the case of several young men who
dropped a bowling ball on a semi truck on I-90 has pled guilty in a plea
bargain deal. Brock Michael Frolik pled guilty as an adult in court on
Thursday. He had originally been charged as a juvenile, but the juvenile
charges were exchanged for his plea of guilty to aiding and abetting
third degree assault.
Sentencing has not taken place yet, but the plea
agreement apparently calls for no jail time and five years of felony
probation. Blake Bents, Andrew Fellerson, and another unnamed juvenile
still have pending cases. Another individual had his case dropped in
February.
Testimony from Frolik may affect the other cases. To
read more about this story, click
here, and here.
4/5/08
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Update (3/20/08): The victim in this shooting was Darby
Claar. A suspect has been arrested: Tyeric Lessley, aged 22. The suspect
has reportedly admitted to the shooting, which was sparked by a traffic
incident.
==============================
A murder around bar closing time Monday, near Washington
Ave. S. and Chicago Ave., took the life of an unnamed man. Police found
the victim dead. There are no suspects in custody and the victim's name
has not yet been released.
3/17/08
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Around 11 P.M., police showed up to a stabbing murder in
the Lowry Towers in Minneapolis. A man was dead in a hallway. Police
have arrested another man as a suspect in this new murder. Names have
not been released of either victim or suspect.
3/7/08
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Update (3/3/08) The boy killed near the Midas muffler
shop has been identified as 14-year-old Agustin Andrade Navarro. He
comes from Plymouth.
Update (3/7/08) The victim in the second murder was
Johanna Hollis.
=============================================
The first weekend in March ended with two Minneapolitans
murdered. The first, which occurred on Saturday, had a 14 year old
Hispanic boy as its victim. It happened near a Midas Muffler shop at
Lake and Portland Ave. S. in broad daylight. Police think it could be
related to another murder earlier in Richfield, but have no suspects in
custody, but a suspect was seen running away after the shooting..
The second murder occurred on the 2800 block of 17th
Ave. S., where one woman was killed and another injured in a shooting.
Police have a 28-year old suspect, Nidjia Dean Nicks, in
custody.
Names have not been released for either victim in these
murders. More info as the stories develop.
3/3/08
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Benjamin Carlson, one of the defendants in the Fairmont
case where several youths dropped a bowling ball on a truck on I-90,
seriously injuring the driver, had the case against him dismissed by
Judge Linda Titus.
The dismissal was made after it was determined that
Carlson wasn't directly involved in the incident, but was "just
there." The other defendants are still to have their days in court.
I'll update as information comes in.
For more information on the original crime, click
here, and here.
2/22/08
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Update (2/22/08) The two brothers arrested in this case
have been released, following questioning by police. The other
15-year-old boy involved has been charged with the crime.
Comment (2/16/08) The brutal stabbing murder and robbery
of a 70-year-old woman in North Minneapolis has to be one of the ugliest
incidents in recent years in that troubled part of the city. Three boys,
who should have been enjoying their early teen years, apparently did
this awful crime, with robbery as the motive. Neighborhood residents
should be absolutely incensed about this. I am. Once again, the city has
ignored North Minneapolis and the problems faced by residents there. The
result was the death of an elderly woman who had done nothing to deserve
her fate. Let's hear a response from the Mayor, please, with some
suggestions about how to keep similar crimes from happening in the
future. You can click the link above to ask the Mayor about this and
other crimes.
Update (2/16/08) Two brothers, 15 and 16 years old, were
arrested in connection with the murder of Pirkko Gaultney. Both are now
in the HC Juvenile Detention center. The juveniles, who will probably be
charged as adults, along with the other boy arrested earlier, were
arrested at a Robbinsdale school.
Update (2/15/08) A 15-year-old boy, turned in by his
conscientious father, has been arrested as a suspect in this murder.
Alerted when the boy tried to use a credit card stolen from the victim,
the father and a friend went the two blocks from his home to the home of
the victim. Finding a broken window, he called police.
This is a very alarming case, in my opinion, but I have
high praise for this father, who followed up on his suspicions, alerted
police and named his son. How difficult that must have been for him.
Whatever else occurs with regard to this murder, my hat is off to this
man, and my heart goes out to him.
============================================
70 year old Pirkko Gaultney was found dead Wednesday
night in her home in North Minneapolis on Fremont Ave N, near 37th Ave.
The home had been broken into when police arrived and the elderly woman
was found dead at the scene. Police are not disclosing the manner of
death but are investigating the death as a homicide.
Her home had apparently been burglarized before,
neighbors said. No suspects are in custody, and an autopsy will reveal
the cause of death, but it seems clear that her murder was tied to the
breakin.
2/14/08
Update (2/14/08) -- I just can't write about this murder
any further. It is too sad and needless. The Twin Cities papers are
covering it adequately.
---------------------------------------------------------
Especially sadly, the first murder of 2008 in
Minneapolis has a 4 year old child as its victim. Demond Reed's body was
discovered in North Minneapolis early Sunday morning, after he had gone
missing days earlier.
Police have a woman in custody at this time, although
they have not released her identity. Other details have not been
revealed. I will update as information is available.
2/10/08
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Along with some 240,000 Minnesota residents, I braved
the traffic and the cold to attend my DFL precinct caucus this Tuesday.
Held in a local high school, it was a crowded, confused affair...no
question about it. The parking lots were full, and folks were walking
blocks to get to the Gymnasium and classroom building where the many
precincts in our State Senate District were to meet.
Someone inside the door directed my wife and I to the
room for our precinct and we headed there. We arrived at 6:30 PM and the
room was almost empty, so we signed in and got our little piece of paper
that served as the ballot for the Presidential Primary vote. It was
blank. We were to write in the name of our favorite candidate and
deposit the "ballot" in an envelope.
So, we did that, then waited and watched as dozens upon
dozens of folks wandered into the room. We were there for the rest of
the caucus meeting, since we both wanted to put our names in as
delegates to the next stage, where we'd be able to participate in
selecting a candidate for Senate. Heck, we'd even gone to a training
session to learn the ins and outs of a caucus.
Most of the folks who came to the room, though, were
there just to vote for a Presidential candidate. They did so, and left,
with only a few remaining by the time delegate selection was to begin.
Our caucus convener did his best to get things going, but it was clear
that the process wasn't that familiar to him, either.
As it turned out, there were only a few takers for the
18 available delegate spots, so my wife and I were able to secure an
appointment. There were only about 12 people in the room during this
process, and not all were willing to serve as delegates to the next
stage, so I'm not quite clear on how the remaining 12 or so delegates
will be selected...never mind alternates.
While I'm pleased to be able to participate further in
this process, moving along to the state senate district convention, I'm
less than pleased with the entire process. Yes, 240,000 Democrats made
their wishes known regarding the Presidential race, but so few stayed
for the other caucus business that it seems ineffective and possibly
unfair. Whoever wanted to be a delegate got to be one. That's fine, but
nobody even asked, nor knows, whom I favor for the US Senate nomination.
I guess they'll find out in March when I caucus again at the state
senate convention.
I'm a newcomer to Minnesota, having moved here just
three and a half years ago. In my previous state of California, such
things are handled in primary elections. More people vote in
those...more people get a chance to express their opinion on all
the races. It's a good, workable system.
Here in Minnesota, it appears that the decision about
the U.S. Senate candidate is not dealt with a fair and widespread
election. Frankly, it's pretty easy for a candidate with a good
organization to stack the nomination process. That's OK, since I'll get
to help select my choice of candidate, but how fair is it for those who
don't understand the caucus system and who walked away after voting for
a Presidential candidate?
A primary election is far more fair, and more closely
reflects the will of the people of the state. Let's dump this
old-fashioned caucus system that is so easy to manipulate and give the
decision-making back the voters. That way, folks won't be surprised by
who gets the nod for other elected offices.
By the way, my wife and I will be working to get Al
Franken selected as our U.S. Senate candidate. A lot of folks who may
disagree may well have walked away from their opportunity to have their
voices heard.
2/7/08
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A bunch of Eden Prairie High School students have been
caught drinking. Caught? Well, sort of. It seems they had posted photos
of themselves drinking or partying with alcoholic beverage containers
visible in the photos. They stupidly posted these photos on the social
networking site, Facebook.com, apparently thinking they were cool.
So, some other student, probably, collected up these
photos, put 'em on a CD and sent them off to the school authorities, who
then called the miscreants in and meted out punishments of various
types. Some kids in extracurricular sports got suspended, as the rules
require for consumption of alcohol. Names have been withheld, for the
most part, by the media, to protect these juveniles, and that's good.
Nobody went to jail. The punishments were, as they should have been,
minor hand-slapping.
Now, of course, the kids are monumentally ticked off,
and some even plan a walkout at school over the "unfair"
punishment given to the kids. Even some of the punished students'
parents have weighed in, castigating the school for punishing their
precious teens. C'mon, folks. Take your knocks and learn from the
experience, please.
Back when I was a young lad, many years ago, I was in a
car with my grandmother. We drove past a sandstone cliff near my town.
The sandstone was soft and many, many people had scratched their names
into the crumbly rock. It was a landmark in the area. My grandmother, as
was her wont, clucked her tongue and said, "Fools' names and fools'
faces often appear in public places." I've remembered that old saw
ever since.
What's the deal with kids posting photos of themselves
doing stupid or illegal things? I think I know. Junior celebrities like
Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and numerous others seem to find it
necessary to have embarrassing photos of themselves appear in
newspapers, magazines, and on the web constantly. Paris even performed
her own explicit sex video, which can be found on most teenaged boys'
computers these days. Britney flashed the world with no underwear,
getting out of an automobile. For pete's sake! It's not cool for the
celebrities, and it's certainly not cool for non-celebrities.
Hey! Kids! Think! Perhaps you think it's cool to post
drunken photos of yourselves and your friends in a public setting.
Perhaps it makes your friends laugh and increases your campus "cred"
or something. Wrong! It's just stupid. I saw some of the photos,
and saw even more when I started browsing around Facebook
randomly.
One day, you'll all be all grown up, working here or
there. Some of you will someday want to even run for public office.
Those photos of yourself, looking and acting like an idiot, are going to
reappear. They always do. It may seem cool to get plastered right now,
but it's not, really.
It can get even worse. Look at the recent cases of kids
just a little older than you who died from drinking too much. How about
that young woman who slammed into a police car, killing the officer's
wife? Her photo was on Facebook, too, and she was bragging about
drinking. Think about it.
And to the parents of these kids: Grow up. Your kids
behaved stupidly and illegally and photographed themselves doing so.
Don't whine about the school. Punish the kids yourself. Had I done
something like that in high school, my father would have taken my
driving privileges away until I got out of school. And that would be
just the beginning of his negative reaction to my stupidity. You're not
your kids' "pals," folks. You're their parents. Teach them
something that could save their lives, OK?
1/10/08
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Correction (12/28/07) As it turns out the dead party in
this shooting was the shooter himself. No homicide occurred. The other
party was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
============================================
A body was found in a home on the 2700 block of 17th
Ave. S. early this morning. No other information is available, except
that it appeared to be a botched murder/suicide. That is the second one
in the Metro this week, following the one in Brooklyn Heights earlier in
the week. Updates as they are available.
12/27/07
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Update: The victim in this shooting murder is Lamont
Valentino Kilgore. Police believe the shooting to be gang related, but
still have nobody under arrest.
=========================================
Sunday morning early, a man was shot and died outside of
a party that was ending in the 2700 block of Bryant Ave N. The victim's
name has not been released and no suspects are in custody yet.
12/24/007
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Update (12/25/07) Police have arrested Zachery Otis
Matthews, 21, in this case. He was the father of Kristine Larson's son.
He had mourned, the day before with her family, but was taken in for
questioning and reportedly confessed to the crime. More updates as they
are available.
Update (12/21/07). The victim in this bizarre case is
19-year-old Kristine Larson, of Saint Paul. She was apparently
strangled, and police think the murder took place elsewhere than where
the body was discovered in the burning auto. Police think that it was
not a random crime.
--------------------------------------------
Police are investigating a homicide that was discovered
after a car fire in South Minneapolis. A Woman's body was found in the
car in an alley behind 22nd St. by firefighters. MPD is calling the
death a homicide, but is releasing no details at this time.
12/20/07
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Probable cause hearings were held in Jackson, MN, in the
case of the five teens who dropped a bowling ball from a freeway
overpass, seriously injuring the driver of a semi. A hearing has already
been held in the case of an unnamed juvenile in the case. A combined
hearing was held in the cases against three of the defendants, Andrew
Fellerson, Blake Bents, and Brock Frolik, on Tuesday. Another hearing is
scheduled in January for Benjamin Carlson.
Testimony was hear from Jamie Bleess, the school
resources officer who apparently broke the case. Further evidence,
including videotapes of interviews with the defendants and medical
records of the injuries sustained by Ted Maki, the driver of the truck.
Related stories here
and here.
12/19/07
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Well, it has happened again...this time in Minneapolis.
A Minneapolis Police Department SWAT team did one of it's searches, and
an innocent man almost died, along with a couple of police officers.
At 12:45 AM on Sunday, the MPD SWAT team stormed a house
on the 1300 block of Logan Ave. N., executing a search warrant that, it
turns out, was based in incorrect information. The homeowner there, who
speaks little English, got his shotgun and fired at officers, who he
thought were home invasion robbers or gang members. The officers were
not hurt, since they were wearing protective vests, but they returned
fire. Fortunately, they didn't hit anyone, including the homeowner or
his children.
What the heck, folks? If you break into my house just
before 1 AM, I'm grabbing my shotgun, too. Yelling "Police!"
isn't going to stop me. Bad guys can yell "Police!" too, and I
haven't done anything to warrant the police coming to my home.
Get it right, MPD, before you do any more of these break
and enter searches. It's your job to get it right. Don't go to the wrong
house. Make sure your information is correct. And local judges? Don't
just sign any warrant that comes across your desk. Make sure the
information is actually backed up by probable cause.
It happens all the time. At my home, a couple of years
ago, two probation officers banged loudly on my kitchen door, looking
for someone who lives at another address on my street. When I answered
the door, and explained that nobody by the name they gave lived there,
they tried to argue with me. One of them got downright abusive. So, I
asked what address they thought they were at. They said the number,
which was over a block away. I asked them if they had actually looked at
the large 6" high house numbers on my home. Oops!
Get it right, MPD. This could have been a tragic
situation. And leave the homeowner in this case alone. He was just
protecting his home, confident that the police had no business searching
his house. He really did think you were criminals, breaking into his
home. Get it right before someone gets killed, please.
One last thing: Not everyone in North Minneapolis is a
criminal, folks. Most people living there are hard-working citizens.
They don't deserve the contempt of the police department.
12/17/07
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Update (12/18/07) Myron David Norcross has been charged
in this homicide.
Update (12/17/07) Police have identified the victim in
this murder as Sheri Lynn Schaumburger. She was 48 years old. The man
arrested in this case has not yet been identified.
Update (12/16/07): The location of this murder was the
high-rise Elliot Twins Apartment, at 1225 8th St. S. The victim, whose
name has still not been released, was stabbed to death. A man, 48 years
old, still unnamed, was arrested in the case. He was apparently known to
the woman. Neighbors apparently heard sounds of an altercation. The
building, run by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, has
apparently experienced problems in the past.
=====================================================
Police are looking for clues in the death on 12/15/07 at
a building on the 1200 block of 8th St. S, in Minneapolis. They were
called to the scene early this morning, but the woman was pronounced
dead at 8:30 AM. The victim's name has not been released, nor have any
other details. No arrests so far.
12/15/07
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Update (12/3/07) The two murdered men in this incident
have been identified. They are Najib A. Omar, 25, and Arie M. Jama, 27.
No suspects are in custody at the time of this writing.
======================================
An apartment building on the 3100 block of Pleasant Ave.
S, was the scene of an argument, followed by a shooting that left two
men dead Saturday Morning, December 1. The first victim died in the
apartment building. The second made his way outside, but died in an
alley near the building.
As usual, police said that the shootings were not random
and that neighbors need not be afraid. I have to wonder, also as usual,
how someone is supposed to suppress their fear after such an event.
Nobody is in custody, also as usual. Also as usual, the victims names
have not been released. Check back here for updates.
12/2/07
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Meng Yang is dead, after a shooting in North Minneapolis
on Saturday. Another man, Sheng Vang remains in critical condition.
Police have no suspects in custody, but there is a report of a shadowy
figure standing in a neighbor's yard.
The shootings occurred in the 3000 block of James Ave.
The shots were located using the new shot spotter technology.
11/12/07
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Update (11/5/07) The victim in this case is Andrew E.
Nakao, who was just 21 years old. According to police, Nakao had
confronted some neighborhood youths about their mistreatment of his
younger brother. The identity of the injured man has not been
released, nor have the police made any statements about suspects in this
case.
===============================================
Two men were shot on Friday (11/2) in North Minneapolis.
One is dead. The shooting occurred late in the afternoon in the 3700
block of Girard Ave N. The second victim is at North Memorial Hospital,
condition unknown.
Victims' names have not been released and police have no
suspects in custody.
11/3/07
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Update (11/4/07) A man has been arrested in this double
murder case. Val Derrick Higgins was arrested and charged in the murders
of Charles Edward Woods-Wilson and Ira Lee Brown, Jr. The shooting was
apparently connected to a robbery.
=====================================
Two men were found shot dead in a house in the 900 block
of 21st Ave. N, in the early hours this morning. Both men were in their
early 20s. Police have not released the victim's names, but believe that
the shootings were not random. Other people were in the house at the
time of the shootings, but no suspects have been arrested.
10/31/07
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Update (10/24/07) Two people have been arrested in the
stabbing death of Kevin Lewis. Meranda Lea Wood (24) and Germaine Rogers
(34). Both are in custody, awaiting court proceedings.
Update (10/22/07). The victim in this murder is Kevin
Lewis. He was stabbed to death in an alley in the 3500 block of Columbus
Ave. S. By all accounts, he was a peaceful man, giving to spontaneous
singing, wherever he was. Police have no suspects or motive in this
crime.
=======================================
Even the location of this homicide is not known at this
time. The body was discovered around 6 A. M. I will update as soon as I
have additional information.
10/21/07
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Update (10/13/07) The victim in yesterday's shooting was
55-year-old Marvin Latimer from Minneapolis. Police believe that the
shooting was not random, but have not disclosed more information than
that.
==============================================
Around 4 AM today (Friday), a man was shot near the
corner of 14th St. E. and Portland Ave. He died at the scene. Police
shut down Portland Ave between Grant St. and 15th St. this morning to
investigate. No arrests have been made, and the identity of the victim
is not known. More details as they become available.
10/12/07
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Update (10/19/07) The criminal case for this incident
has been moved from Martin County to Jackson County, after two judges
recused themselves from the case, due to potential conflicts of
interest. Initial hearings were held this week, and more hearings are
down the road, including hearings to determine whether the juveniles in
the case will be tried as adults or in juvenile court.
Update (10/11/07) Comments on this story. Since my blog
article appeared, I've received some emails from friends of the fellows
arrested for this crime. I won't post them here, but they're angry with
me. It seems they feel that I was too hard on the young men. One said
that they "made a mistake." Another said that I was wrong to
say that there might have been alcohol involved. Another objected to my
sarcastic comment about friends and families being "proud" of
these criminals. Today, one of the writers wrote a second email, telling
me that I should remove my story.
Here's what I wrote back to these emailers, paraphrased:
I explained that what happened was not a "mistake." The young
miscreants deliberately dropped that bowling ball so it would hit
that truck. No mistake, there. A completely innocent man was severely
injured, and his wife traumatized. I referred to the perpetrators as
"cretins," "criminals," and "hoodlums."
They are all those things. How clever is it to do something so stupid?
The bad actors are charged with felonies and, by all accounts, have
admitted that they did it. My terminology is correct. Was alcohol
involved? As I said, I don't know, but I'm betting it was. Such
stupidity is usually fueled by alcohol in young men. We'll probably find
that out at the trial.
While I appreciate the writers' loyalty to their friends
or relatives, what they did was stupid and criminal. It's that simple,
and they'll have to face the music. So, I won't be removing this story.
Sorry. I'll be following up on it when those charged face their trials
or plead guilty to something.
I did correct one error in the story, regarding the home
town of one of the accused.
===========================================
You all probably remember the story. A truck driver, Ted
Maki, of Montana and his wife were driving a long-haul truck on I-90,
when some cretins dropped a bowling ball off an overpass. Mr. Maki was
seriously injured and the truck damaged in the resulting crash. Click
Here for original story.
Well, yesterday, I got an email from a family member
telling me that 5 young men had been arrested. This morning, I located this
story in the Sentinel Online, a newspaper web site in Fairmont, MN,
near the location of the crime. Here's the information:
The ball dropper, 17-year-old Blake D. Bents, a Fairmont
teen, is charged with three degrees of felony assault and one count of
criminal damage to property. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years
in prison and a $30,000 fine. Bents was a player on the 2006
Fairmont HS JV Football team.
Accomplices, charged with aiding and abetting Bents in
the crime, are:
Andrew J. Fellerson, 18, of Fairmont
Brock M. Frolik, 17, of Fairmont (plays on Fairmont HS Football Team)
Benjamin C. Carlson, 18, of Granada
Unnamed Juvenile, 15.
If convicted of the charges, they could receive 10 years
and a $20,000 fine.
The group was found out by a school resource officer,
and the delinquents were questioned, then arrested. According to
Fellerson, they stole the bowling ball off a fence post, dropped it once
on the freeway, then retrieved it and decided to try to hit a truck
trailer with it. The result was the incident that happened. Bents, the
actual dropper, reported first denied the charges, then admitted his
guilt. Apparently, he saw it all as a "practical joke."
All the defendants, except for Bents, have been released
on their own recognizance, with electronic monitoring. They'll be able
to return to school, but can't drive. Bents was given a choice
between juvenile hall and being admitted to a mental health clinic. His
decision is not known to me.
Also not disclosed is whether alcohol played a role. I'm
betting that it did. So my initial sense of how this happened turned out
to be just how it happened. Bunch of stupid young guys out on a lark.
But...as too often happens, they almost killed a man. I hope they're
scared to death right now about what will happen to them. I'll bet
they're not as scared as Mr. Maki's wife was, though, sitting next to
her husband as he was struck by a bowling ball coming through the
windshield of the truck. I hope the court throws the book at this group.
It won't hurt as much as a bowling ball to the head, but there could be
some justice done here.
I know nothing of these young men. They are, apparently,
high school students. I wonder how their friends feel about them right
now. I'll bet their parents are really proud of their sons, too. Bunch
of hoodlums!
Well, I'll keep an eye out for what happens next, and
will report it here when I know something.
10/6/07
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Update (9/25/07) Well, Mr. Duckkiller was arraigned on
Monday, and made his bail, so he's out of jail, after what must have
been a pleasant weekend for him. Apparently, he was uncooperative with
Police when arrested and threatened to "have their jobs,"
since he's a federal employee. Well, he's a lowly auditor for the Office
of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human
Services, so it's unlikely that he'll make that threat stick.
Expect him to plead out to a lesser charge at some
point. I'll watch for updates to this story.
=================================================
Note: I'm not making this up. I couldn't come up with
anything so stupid.
Scott D. Clark, a 26 year old Denver man, spent Saturday
night in jail after pulling the head off a live duck in the atrium of
the Embassy Suites hotel in Downtown Saint Paul. The time of the
incident was about half past 2 A.M. on Saturday.
According to the story
in the Sunday Pioneer Press, the visiting businessman came into the
hotel, chased one of the pet ducks that the hotel has swimming around in
the atrium's pond, cornered it, then jerked its head off, right in front
of hotel security guards and other guests.. He reportedly said that he
was "hungry."
Hotel security guards detained the cretin until police
arrived. He was arrested, and spent Saturday night in the Ramsey County
pokey. Charges could include felony cruelty to animals when he is
arraigned on Monday.
Now, given the hour that this occurred, I imagine
considerable drinking had taken place before the incident. Still, even a
man who's drunk doesn't normally pull the head off a duck. Perhaps the
Embassy Suites' restaurant was closed for the night, leaving the
intoxicated idiot unable to get a meal or snack. Perhaps this clever
fellow...no...further speculation is a waste of time. He's a moron,
folks. A drunken moron, at that.
So, what happens next? He'll make bail at the
arraignment and head back to Denver. I do hope that his employer will
take exception to an employee doing such a thing on a business trip. A
nice firing would be OK by me. Then, in due time, he'll get to travel
back to Minnesota's First City and face the music. I think a strong
lesson is in order here. A nice jail sentence, a big fine, and, perhaps,
a stint in an alcohol and anger management treatment center, seems
appropriate.
Life in the big city is always interesting...
9/23/07
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Update (9/25/07) Two juveniles have been arrested in
connection with this shooting. No further information is available.
=========================================
Update (9/24/07) Still in critical condition at HCMC,
the victim in this senseless shooting fights for her life. She's Vernice
Hall, known to people close to her as Li'l Star. She's in the 7th grade.
She has parents and brothers and sisters, all of whom cannot understand
why this happened. The party was at her house, and she had just stepped
outside with a friend, when she fell victim to shots fired, apparently
at random, from nearby.
It's an all-too-familiar story in North Minneapolis,
where other youngsters have been killed or injured in similar ways. The
good folks who live in those neighborhoods are just about fed up with
this situation, but feel hopeless to do anything about it. All residents
of Minneapolis should be outraged, and should demand that more be done
to get gangsters with guns off the streets...not only in North
Minneapolis, but throughout the city.
===========================================
A 12 year old girl was shot last night in North
Minneapolis and is in the hospital with grave head injuries. Apparently,
she was leaving a party in the 1800 block of Oliver Ave. N around
Midnight, when the shooting occurred.
Police are searching for suspects in this shooting. The
girl was apparently not the target of this shooting. Watch for updates
here!
9/22/07
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Update (9/22/07)
The victim in this stabbing is Everett D. Laye. He was
28 years old. Apparently, he knew the assailant, a woman, and was
stabbed in an automobile during an argument.
============================================
A man in Minneapolis was stabbed to death by a woman
assailant Wednesday night, in the 2600 block of Longfellow Ave. S. The
woman fled the scene, and is described only as being in her 20s.
Information is still sketchy, and will be updated as new info is
available.
9/20/007
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Update (11/6/07) A man, Donald Jackson, 23, has been
arrested in this case.
Update (9/15/07)
The identity of the man killed on Thursday is Mark
Loesch. He was found, with traumatic injuries early Thursday AM, but
died before help could arrive. A father of four, the 41-year-old had
apparently gone for a bicycle ride the previous night. Police are asking
for anyone having any information regarding this shocking murder to
contact them.
===================================================
Few details are available, but a man's body was found in
South Minneapolis Thursday morning with "severe trauma." The
location was the 3700 block of Elliot Ave S. Also, in South Minneapolis,
two shootings took place in that part of the city. The extent of
injuries is still unknown.
Additional shootings occured in North Minneapolis on
Thursday. It looks like our quiet period has passed.
9/14/07
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What most likely began as a prank near Fairmont, MN,
turned into a disaster, leaving a Montana truck driver with head
injuries. A bowling ball, dropped from an overpass crossing Interstate
90, penetrated the windshield of the truck, injuring its driver, Ted
Maki. His wife, riding in the truck, was uninjured. The truck crossed
the median and ended up in a cornfield. The driver's injuries weren't
life-threatening.
We all know what happened here, around midnight, there
in the lonely farm country. Some older teenage boys or young guys in
their early 20s, perhaps under the influence of alcohol, thought it
would be clever to drop a bowling ball off the overpass and see what it
did to a passing truck. Big laughs all around, I'm sure they thought.
Nobody's laughing now. The State Patrol is looking for
the culprits, who, when found, will face serious charges. The
perpetrators, no doubt, scarpered away in their vehicle, and are now
cowering in fear of discovery.
Fess up, boys! Grow up and be men and own up to your
stupid stunt. You didn't kill the driver, fortunately, so you're only
going to face 90 days in jail or some other such slap on the wrist. But,
we need to know who you are, and you need to deal with this and take
responsibility for your acts.
There were probably at least two young guys involved
here. One to drop the bowling ball, and one or more to yuck it up and
egg him on. Any or all of you can man up and solve this case. Do it
today. Why? Because it's the thing to do, for one, and because you'll be
out drinking one of these days soon and spill the beans to someone who
wasn't involved. They'll tell the cops, and it'll go harder for you.
For everyone else in that age group: I know it's boring
sometimes out there in rural Minnesota, and a guy gets a belly full of
beer, and things sound like good ideas that aren't. Stop. Think. Imagine
your mother is in that car on I-90, then go home and sleep it off. Don't
ruin your life and someone else's for a chuckle or two. Seriously. If
you're really, really bored, and need some excitement in your lives,
call up a military recruiter. He wants to talk to you, and you'll get
all the excitement you can handle.
8/29/07
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Update (8/29/07) The victim in this murder was 18 year
old Heli G. Hernandez-Leon, who lived in Columbia heights. He was at the
wheel of the car when he was shot in the back. No motive or arrests.
============================================
Early Saturday evening, two shootings occurred in South
Minneapolis. The first, near 40th St. and 4th Ave. S., left a man with
serious injuries. The second shooting occurred not long after that, near
26th St. and Cedar Ave. S., Four men were shot in that incident, one
fatally.
No suspects are in custody, and no victim names have
been released at this time. Police do not know if the two shootings were
related.
8/26/07
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Zach King is dead, killed by a pit bull owned by his
father. He was just 7 years old, and the male pit bull was tethered to a
post in the basement of his North Minneapolis home. What a terrible
tragedy this is! His father shot and killed the dog, and was bitten
himself. A female pitbull and five puppies were also in the home.
They're now in the custody of Minneapolis Animal Control. Apparently,
the dog that killed the child had been reported for two other incidents.
I don't hate pit bulls. I don't hate any breed of dog.
But, reports of pit bulls attacking people are a commonplace in the news
around this country. All too often, it is a family member of the dog's
owner who is attacked. What's the deal with pit bulls?
I think I know. The breed is a fighting breed, at least
in recent history. Dog fighting is a popular, if ugly, sport in some
circles. We're all familiar, by now, with the Michael Vick story, and
the connection with dog fighting that will no doubt cost him his NFL
career. The bottom line is that indiscriminate breeding of pit bulls has
led to some unfortunate bloodlines, with very aggressive natures and
quick tempers. Pit bulls from those bloodlines do not make good pets,
even though good-natured pit bulls, bred for that good nature, can be
wonderful family pets.
Pit bulls are seen as tough dogs, and that's part of
their attraction for some dog owners. Some parts of the Twin Cities have
mean streets. Some people own dogs as a sort of addition to their
credibility on the street. They don't participate in dog fighting, but
walking a big, mean pitbull around, with a choke chain on its neck is
one way to demonstrate just how tough you are...even if you're not
really all that tough.
Pit bulls have become status symbols for some people.
Like a badass car or motorcycle, a pit bull says, "Look at me! I'm
someone to reckon with. Don't mess with me." That's OK, except that
those pit bulls are just dogs, and they don't understand that they're
for show. Someday, someone will make a wrong move at the wrong time, and
the dog will suddenly attack. If that someone is your child or your
wife, a tragedy occurs. If it's a neighbor or a neighbor's child, it
could lead to years in prison and a lifetime of crushing debt to pay for
the dog's behavior.
I'm in no way suggesting that the breed be banned. That
would be wrong, since there are many, many pit bulls in good hands that
would not harm a fly. I do think that pit bulls should get just one
chance, though. One attack or other aggressive incident and that pit
bull should be put down. Just one.
What I am suggesting, and it could save the life of
someone you love, is that you not use dogs as status symbols or to
demonstrate what a tough guy you are. Dogs are companions, not
possessions. They're not, or shouldn't be, anything but family pets or
working dogs. Using a dog to boost your own self-esteem isn't fair to
the dog, and may end up causing a lifetime of pain.
I have an enormous amount of sympathy for the father in
this story. He's facing an unspeakable tragedy in his life right now,
and I hope he'll someday be able to cope with it...somehow. I also hope
that everyone who owns a pit bull or is thinking about owning a pit bull
will look very carefully at that animal and judge its temperament. We
all have family, friends, and neighbors. If your dog is a threat to them
in any way, get rid of it or don't acquire it. A tough guy image just
isn't worth it, and there are other ways to achieve that image.
If you're a friend, family member, or neighbor of
someone with an aggressive pit bull, have a talk with that person.
Remind him or her about what happened to Zach King. Ask him or her to
consider how they would live with a similar thing happening to them.
If you're rebuffed, and the dog is running free or
attacks someone, or even threatens to attack someone, call Animal
Control. Keep calling. Don't give up until something is done. You could
not only save someone's life or prevent horrible injuries, but you might
just save the dog's owner from a lifetime of regret and misery.
Think about it.
8/17/07
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Update (8/29/07) The victim in this case is Jose
Cardenas-Rocha, 33, of Minneapolis. The suspect is St. Paulite, Noe
Deluna-Deluna. The situation appears to be a love triangle.
====================================
Very early Friday morning, police arrived at 1811 Park
Ave. S. in Minneapolis. A man had been stabbed. He died later at HCMC.
One suspect in the stabbing is under arrest. The victim's name has not
been released.
8/12/07
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Update (8/14/07) This murder turns out to be a bizarre
one. From a planned sham marriage in Las Vegas, to stolen money, and
finally a shooting, it's one of the city's strangest cases this year.
The victim, Alison M. Daniels, was apparently shot by a Wisconsin man,
after a plan to conduct a sham marriage for money went wrong. It's all
very confusing, but ends with a dead victim and an alleged murderer, one
Dean A. Barrette, of Wisconsin, in jail in Milwaukee, awaiting transport
to Minnesota. To read the full story in the Star Tribune, click
here.
Update (8/9/07) The victim in this murder is 24-year-old
Alison M. Daniels. She hailed from East Lansing, MI, and was a guest at
the Radisson University Hotel. No arrests have been made.
==============================
The Radisson Hotel on the U of M campus was the scene of
a murder on Monday evening. A woman was discovered with a gunshot wound
and was dead at the scene. Details about the victim are not available,
nor are any suspects in custody, although she was not from Minneapolis
and not a student at the U, according to police.
8/8/07
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Update (8/9/07) The victim in this murder is Montrell
Burbridge of Minneapolis. He was shot several times. Still no arrests.
Burbridge was just 15 years old.
===========================================
An unidentified juvenile boy was discovered in North
Minneapolis, suffering from gunshot wounds on Monday evening, in the
2100 block of 36th Ave. N. . He was transported to North Memorial
Hospital, but did not survive. The victim's name has not been release.
No arrests have been made.
8/8/07
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After a complete lack of murders in Minneapolis in July,
we've had three in the past week. The latest occurred at Block E, taking
the life of a man, 31 years old, in a fight on Hennepin near 6th
or 7th. The time was around bar closing. The name of the victim is
Timothy Wells.
Police say the fight was about women, and have arrested
a 20 year old suspect, Arturo Hernandez, in the case.
8/6/07
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Update (8/5/07)
The victim in this shooting is Jeremy D. Callaway, age
21. No arrests have been made. The victim was standing on the sidewalk
when he was shot.
========================================================
An unnamed man was shot and died in Minneapolis on
Friday morning, at 14th Ave and Irving Ave N. Few details are available,
but I will update as they come in.
8/4/07
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Update (8/5/07)
Two unnamed suspects are under arrest in this murder.
Their ages are 18 and 20, and they are residents of Minneapolis.
Update (8/4/07)
The victim in this shooting has been identified as
23-year-old Jerren G. Shaden. He was shot while in his vehicle in South
Minneapolis, close to 36th St. and Bloomington Ave S. He managed to get
himself to the hospital, but died in the parking lot there. Police claim
to have suspects in the case, which may be drug-related.
=========================================
It's been over a month since the last murder in
Minneapolis. That's a good thing. But the trend was broken with the
shooting death of a man overnight. A man with a gunshot wound died at
Northwestern Hospital last night, shortly after arriving.
It is unknown where the shooting took place. The
identity of the man has not been released. No suspects are under arrest.
Updates as we have the information.
8/3/07
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Update (7/1/07) The victim in this case was Kira
Simonian, a graduate student at MCAD. The motive for this murder is not
being disclosed by MPD, but they have said there is no cause for concern
among nearby residents. Why that is is an excellent question.
Simonian was married to one Matthew Gretz, who has been
on what is called a business trip, and has not been
contacted by police. More details as they are available.
-------------------------------------------
The woman whose body was discovered in a fourplex on 1st
Ave in Minneapolis on Thursday was apparently murdered, according to MPD.
A grad student at MCAD, her name has not been released, pending
notification of relatives. No suspect is in custody.
6/29/07
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Early Sunday morning, two women in a parked car were
fired upon by unknown assailants in another vehicle. One victim is in
critical condition, with back wounds, and the other will recover.
Emerson and 24th Ave N was the location.
No arrests. No descriptions. You know the drill. Watch
for updates as they are available.
6/18/07
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In a bizarre incident in North Minneapolis, a man was
shot on Sunday morning. That's not bizarre...we're used to that by now.
What's bizarre is that the grocery store where the shooting occurred is
right next to the police's Fourth Precinct office.
The injured man entered the store, then ran next door
where the Police called for help. The man is in serious condition, with
gunshot wounds.
Were the people on duty at the station all listening to
their iPods? Did they not hear the multiple shots being fired? Or did
they hear them and just ignore them until the bleeding man came through
their door?
It's all just too strange. When will Minneapolis get a
handle on what's going on in North Minneapolis?
6/18/07
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Update (6/15/07) According to a story in the Star
Tribune, three people have been arrested in this shooting. Two are
juveniles, and one, Willie Buckingham, is an adult. According to the
Star Tribune story, all three are connected with the Tre Tre Crips gang
in Minneapolis.
----------------------------------
Update (6/11/07): The victim in this shooting death is
Charez Jones. Police believe that she was not an intentional target, but
was killed after stepping outside of a party, by a stray bullet from an
argument nearby. Police have no suspects in this case.
------------------------------------------------
A graduation party in North Minneapolis was the scene of
the shooting death of a 14-year-old girl last night. The girl, who had
stepped outside to use a cell phone, died at the scene. At least a dozen
shots were fired, according to witnesses. There are no suspects in
custody, and the girl's name has not been released.
From the number of shots reported, this has the look of
some sort of gang shooting. When will it end? Ask the Mayor.
6/10/07
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Poor Paris. Poor, poor, Paris. After three grueling days
in her 23 day sentence for flaunting her contempt for our laws, she's
out of jail. Poor Paris. She'll be confined to her 4 bedroom, three bath
home in the Hollywood Hills and has to wear
one of those electronic ankle bracelets to make sure she stays there.
So, it's party time at the Hilton place tonight. Back to
the coke and promiscuous sex for Paris. Boo Hoo! Poor Paris. She can't
go clubbing with her friends. She can't get her hair done. She can't
shop. Poor little Paris.
Health reasons were the reason for her early release,
but those health reasons haven't been disclosed. She probably had a fit
there in the jail. The food wasn't properly prepared, and there weren't
twenty mattresses for her to rest her bony body on, I suppose. Whatever.
Why, there wasn't even a toilet seat for her to put her miniscule butt
on.
Normally, I only write about Twin Cities issues, but
this transcends my boundaries. There is a Hilton Hotel here, after
all.
No longer in jail, Paris Hilton is free to continue her
total disrespect for the law. She's free to be a rich little skank, even
if she has to do it from home. How long, do you suppose, until she just
has to leave her home...for health reasons, doncha know? How long until
she flies to some other place in daddy's private plane, leaving her
phalanx of attorneys to clear things up for her. Perhaps she'll need
treatment for her "health problems" in a spa in
Switzerland...you know the drill.
It's no wonder that so many young adults have contempt for the
law. They have Paris as a shining example of why "beautiful
people" can do as they please. Jails are for the underclasses, you
see, not for the famous.
Feh!
6/7/07
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Update 6/6/07: The identity of the victim in this case
is Lorenzo Guffie. He was 29 years of age. No suspect is in custody.
Police ask that anyone with info contact the MPD.
------------------------------------------------
Seems like weekends mean murder in Minneapolis, and this
past weekend was no exception. Near Palmer's Bar on Cedar Ave S in South
Minneapolis, an argument in the wee hours of this morning led to a
shooting and Minneapolis' 25th murder for 2007. The victim died later at
HCMC.
Identities have not been disclosed, as usual, and the
suspect is at large.
6/4/07
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Update 5/31/07: The man who died in this shooting was 35
year old Otis L. Watson. He was shot in the head. Police have no
suspects in custody.
-----------------------------------------------
Although Minneapolis Police and other authorities are
trying to convince residents that there's no crime wave going on in
North Minneapolis, Five people were injured this weekend and one man was
dead after a shooting on Emerson Ave N. The injured people did not have
life-threatening injuries.
The victim, whose name has not been released, was found
and transported to North Memorial, where he later died. The details of
the multiple shootings are unclear, and police are being closed-mouthed
about the entire incident.
Folks, there is a real and abiding problem in North
Minneapolis, and statements to the contrary by city officials should be
looked at with deep skepticism. It seems to this blogger that crime
prevention efforts in Minneapolis have mostly been focused on the
Downtown, Uptown, and Block E areas, with North Minneapolis left to fend
for itself.
When will the gunshot locators and cameras be installed
in trouble spots in North Minneapolis? The answer is unclear. Something
needs to be done, before the problem gets worse.
5/20/07
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Or, even better:
Ask Mayor Archie Zwieback (R. T.
Rybak)
about It!
Howard Porter, a Ramsey Co. Probation officer died
Saturday of injuries received in a horrific beating. He was found in
North Minneapolis on the 20th, but could not survive his injuries.
Little has been revealed by the MPD regarding the crime, and no suspects
are in custody. This strange case has made a lot of us wonder, and now
it is an apparent murder case.
5/30/07
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An apparent domestic dispute left a North Minneapolis
woman dead on James Ave N yesterday. The shooter called MPD himself and
waited to be arrested. Names have not been released at this time.
5/24/07
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The victim in the alley shooting in North Minneapolis
last week is finally known. The victim was 31-year-old James William
Mogren, also known as David Terrance Hankins and David Terrance Hobbs. I
have no idea about the aliases, but the police are seeking information
about a light-colored Chevy Tahoe, license number TYG 179. If you see
this vehicle, contact MPD immediately.
5/12/07
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Update (5/14/07): The identity of the victim in the 4th
Street Saloon murder is known. He was Marvin L. Easter, a Minneapolis
resident, 31 years old. The alleged shooter, currently in serious
condition after being shot by an off-duty cop, is Jeremy J. Harris. The
victim in the South Minneapolis shooting was Armando Rodriguez, AKA Jose
Armando Calix. He was 43, and a resident of Minneapolis.
------------------------------------
Violence flared up again last night in Minneapolis. The
result was two separate murders in two different parts of the city.
The first occurred around 8 P.M. Friday night in South
Minneapolis, at 31st St. and Pleasant Ave. A man was found dead outside
an apartment building. Police showed up after reports of gunfire. The
victim's name has not been released and no suspects are in custody.
Later that night, sometime in the wee hours of Saturday
morning, the 4th Street Saloon was the scene of another shooting,
leaving the victim dead. In this case, however, a suspect is in custody,
and is hospitalized after being shot by an off-duty cop. No names have
been released in this case, either.
The 4th Street Saloon murder involved a crowd of people
outside the bar, and police are still trying to piece together what
exactly happened.
What's the deal? Spring Fever? Is the killing going to
increase as the weather gets warmer?
5/12/07
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Regular readers of this blog know that I try to update
stories about murders in the Twin Cities, particularly in Minneapolis.
Well, last Friday, I reported on a man who was murdered in an alley in
North Minneapolis. In fact, that entry is just below this one. The
murder took place on Thursday, so I've been watching all the local news
outlets to see if I could find any further information to share with
you.
Nothing. It is as though the murder never took place.
Are murders in North Minneapolis now such a commonplace that the local
news media doesn't bother to follow up on them? Or is it something else
about murders in that part of the city that just doesn't interest the
local papers and television news?
Who was the man who was shot in the head and died in a
lonely alley? Do the police have any clues as to the identity of the
shooter or shooters? Does anyone but me care about solving this murder?
As a blogger, I have no credentials to follow up on such
cases. The police won't tell me anything, since I'm not part of the
"media" and don't have press credentials. I must rely on the
regular media to find this stuff out.
As soon as I have further information, I'll update the
story. In the meantime, all the folks who live in North Minneapolis
should be alarmed at the lack of interest in murders in their
neighborhoods.
5/7/07
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An alley between Irving Ave N and Humboldt Ave N was the
scene of Minneapolis' 20th murder of 2007 last night. Shot in the head,
the unnamed victim died at the scene. The gunshots prompted calls to the
police.
An unidentified assailant apparently ran from the scene
and there may have been a vehicle seen as well. Police don't think the
murder was random.
Once again, violence has stricken the North Side. Once
again, someone has died. Once again, the police are at a loss.
Gunshot locators have been installed in some parts of
the city. Why not in the North Side, where most of the murders in
Minneapolis occur?
5/4/07
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In 1997, a guy, Jim Robinson, of Fresno started a
website, Free Republic. He
started it over the impeachment of President Clinton. Its main feature
was a discussion forum where news stories were printed and discussed by
the members of the forum. Jim Robinson, or JimRob, as he's referred to
is of the ultra-conservative political bent.
The site thrived, attracting conservatives,
libertarians, and the odd liberal or two, and discussions were lively
and interesting, if sometimes angry. It was an airing-out of grievances
sort of place. There's a good history of the site on this Wikipedia
page, if you're interested in the details.
It thrived so well that JimRob started taking donations
from users to help run the site. Over time, enough money flowed in from
contributions that JimRob could devote full time to the site. These
days, he's taking in roughly $70,000 every three months in
contributions. How he spends them is none of anyone's business...it's
JimRob's world.
Sadly, over the years, the site has changed, and not for
the better. Outright wars between members of the site have taken place,
with members being banned by JimRob and his trusty band of moderators.
Liberals were the first to go, not surprisingly, since the site is
self-defined as a conservative site.
At one point, during the primary season in which George
W. Bush got his first nomination, JimRob, who apparently considered GWB
to be unsuitable for the job, referred to him as a "coke-sniffer."
Once he got the nomination, though, all was forgiven and the site became
a cheering section for GWB...more or less. If a member suggested that
Bush be impeached for his abrogation of responsibility fo things like
immigration, campaign finance reform, or anything else considered to be
anathema to the ultra-right, that member was banned instantly by JimRob
and his sycophants.
On another level, Free Republic, showed another face.
Discussion threads about a number of topics were (and still are) taken
over by a crowd of sophomoric members who post half-naked photos of
women and declare themselves ready to "hit it" with them.
Potty humor and fart jokes are the stock in trade with this large group
of FReepers.
Other groups of non-political users hold online coffee
klatches, posting little doll-like avatars, photos of cute puppies, and
flirt madly with each other and the few male members who show up.
Then there are the discussions on evolution, which broke
down into Christian vs. the Lions on a regular basis. Those who thought
Evolutionary Theory was sensible were called atheists, commies, and
worse, while the proponents of Creationism quote long passages from
Creationist websites to "prove" that Evolution was akin to
Communism. Very strange.
All of these non-political side discussions have led to
numerous bannings of members, generally when a member took a position
that could be classed as "liberal" or "non-fundamentalist
Christian." Petty dislikes also played a role in bannings. If you
weren't in the "in-crowd" you could count on getting tossed
off the site at some point.
But all this is background. It is the serious issues
which have led to the bloodbath-like wars on Free Republic. The first
one I remember seeing had to do with immigration policy. As you might
expect, there were some racial overtones to those issues. At the time,
JimRob was still supporting GWB, so he couldn't tolerate those who
excoriated Bush over his wimpy immigration policies. Banned.
Later, as JimRob moved his position closer to the anti-immigration
forces, some were allowed back. These days, you don't see much praise
for GWB from JimRob.
On the Evolution/Creation issue, JimRob finally issued a
Manifesto, determining that those who believed that Evolutionary Theory
was correct were "atheistic liberals" and began banning them,
including some who were professional scientists. Truth was not the
issue...dogma was. As always, it's Jim's Way or the Highway. Thus has it
ever been.
Now, in the past week, it's all become moot, since
JimRob has decided that Rudy Giuliani is somewhat to the left of the
worst liberal on the planet. JimRob has decided that the full power
(such as it is) of Free Republic will be dedicated to "swift-boating"
Giuliani, in an attempt to eliminate him from the candidacy. This,
despite Giuliani's clear lead in early polls.
It seems that, for JimRob, Giuliani is a pro-abortion,
gun-grabbing, Christian-hating, gay-loving, crossdressing LIBERAL, and
cannot be tolerated. Ask JimRob who he does support, and he'll give you
no answer. He's just opposed to Giuliani, and believes, for some
unfathomable reason that he can actually influence the nomination. He
can't, and won't.
In aid of all this, the bannings have begun, in a long
discussion thread (over 10,000 messages), JimRob is baiting those who
have supported Giuliani on the forum, then banning them. Some of these
are folks who donate over $300/year to support JimRob in his chosen
lifestyle. If they support Giuliani, they're now anathema and may not
post messages. It's the ugliest thing I've seen there since the
beginning of the forum.
Elsewhere, discussion threads have popped up detailing
all the supposed evidence that Giuliani is not only not a good
Republican, but is actually that pro-abortion, gun-grabbing,
Christian-hating, gay-loving, crossdressing LIBERAL. Worse than
Hillary...well...almost. NOBODY is worse than Hillary to the FReepers.
It's a bloodbath. If you want to see a large political
discussion forum eat its own young and marginalize itself even further
than its already marginal importance, read this
long thread on the site. It'll amaze, amuse, shock, and awe you.
Free Republic, by becoming a "preach to the
choir" forum, has lost its relevance to the political scene. It's
no longer of any interest in the political environment.
It's dead, Jim.
4/26/07
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Update, 4/24/07: An arrest has been made in this murder.
Jerome Pablo Cross, 17, has been arrested, and will be charged as an
adult. According to police, there had been bad blood between Cross and
Freeman in the past, so this murder was not a random event.
-------------------------------------
Update, 4/23/07: The victim in this latest Metro Transit
murder was 16-year-old Earl Freeman, a high school student returning
home from a visit with a friend. The suspect, still not in custody, was
described as a young black male in a white T-shirt and baggy pants.
Police still do not know the identity of the shooter, and are hoping
that someone tells them who it was.
-----------------------------------------
Another one rides the bus, and another one dies. The
Metro Transit system has had some problems with violence on buses this
year, and this morning, another person was murdered on a Metro bus. This
time, the murder happened in Saint Paul.
The teenaged victim has not been identified, but was
shot in the chest on Fifth St, near Sibley just after Midnight. The
shooting occurred after an argument that involved a number of people. No
suspect has been arrested. Gang rivalries are suspected to be part of
the motive.
The other three attacks on the Metro system this year
have all taken place in Minneapolis.
What to do? It's a tough call. The Metro transit system
is essential in the Cities, but it can be unsafe. The city can't afford
to put a cop on every bus...that much is certain. I believe that the
only solution is a serious crackdown on gang activity in our
communities. The rash of murders in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, many of
which are gang-related, means that we do not have a handle on gangs in
our area.
It's time for the mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul
to direct their respective police departments to make gang surveillance
the top priority until the problem is under control. Organizations like
the Minneapolis Urban League are working very hard to assist law
enforcement in this problem, but it's really a problem for our police
departments. Right now, they're not doing a very good job of that
enforcement. Let's insist that they do a better one!
4/22/07
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Melissa Speich, a 23 year old U of M student was hit by
a drunk driver on Easter Sunday near the Metrodome. Sadly, she died on
Friday. The driver of the other car, Geoffrey A. Baker, is being charged
with vehicular homicide. Baker, a Hudson, WI resident, had three
previous DWI convictions and showed a blood alcohol level of .157.
The victim was a graduate student at the U, and was
planning a career as a doctor.
Time to revisit the DWI laws, I think. Three DWIs should
mean a permanent loss of driving privileges, some serious hard prison
time, and confiscation of all vehicles owned by the offender, and a
permanent ban on registration of any vehicle by that person. How many
people have to die before we enact some DWI laws with teeth?
4/22/07
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Regular readers of my blog here know my opinion on the
Republican Convention which will be coming to Saint Paul and Minneapolis
in 2008. I don't like it, and that's because it's going to disrupt our
community in some tangible ways. Read this
article, and this
one for details on my objections.
Now, Ramsey County Sheriff, Bob Fletcher, wants about
half a million of our dollars to build an "open-air" detention
facility to hold all the protestors he expects to arrest. 3000 of them,
he figures.
That's just part of his proposed $4.4 million budget for
the convention. I warned you about this in my other articles, and it's
just the beginning. Sheriff Fletcher wants a nice fenced compound near
the Ramsey County Workhouse, along with a bunch of brand new riot gear
and tasers to meet what he thinks will be the need to control the vast
numbers of protestors during the convention.
The Minnesota ACLU and other interested parties don't
like this much, as you'd expect. I don't like it much, either, but
because it's just one more way this convention is going to cost the
city. That, along with closed streets and freeways, the impossibility of
doing business in downtown St. Paul during the convention, and just
general congestion and expense, makes me nervous about the whole event.
Most conventions make provisions for a "Free Speech
Area" somewhere in the city. Can you guess where that will be
during this convention? I can. Harriet Island is the most likely choice.
Put the protestors across the river and control them by prohibiting foot
traffic across the two nearby bridges. It's a no-brainer.
Except that it's going to leave the park a mess after
the convention, and require a major expenditure to fence it off. It's
also going to royally piss off the protestors, who will be able to see
the convention site from across the river, but who will be be prevented
from getting anywhere near it.
Mark my words: This is going to be a disaster, all
around. It's not going to benefit the Twin Cities, but it's sure going
to bring the media in and they're going to focus on the protestors, as
they always do. Twin Citians are not going to enjoy this, I guarantee.
Me? I think I'll head for the North Shore during the
convention. Pack my bags, hook up the boat, and stay at a nice lakeside
resort for the duration. Don't worry, though: I'll pack my laptop so I
can update you all on the ongoing foolishness. Make your reservations
early if you want to escape the madness. You'll be joined by thousands
of others.
4/18/07
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Me!
Update, 9:30 AM, 4/19/07: The story gets uglier...much
uglier! Three teenaged hoodlums took these two victims into an alley
after they left Waldo's Bar, forced them to kneel, and shot them both in
the head. The teenagers, whose names have not been released, were two
males, 15 and 19, and a female, 17. All are in custody and are being
charged. The two males are apparently known gang members.
The name of one of the victims is Richard Lee
Christianson. The other victim has not been named as yet. Neither
victim, apparently, had any connection with the shooters.
----------------------------------------
Update, 4 PM, 4/18/07: At a news conference MPD Chief
Dolan said that the two murder victims were men in their 30s and that
the crime had robbery as a motive. The victim's names were not revealed,
and the police still have no suspect in custody, although Dolan said
that an arrest might happen soon.
---------------------------------------
The Camden neighborhood in North Minneapolis has two new
murder victims for this year. Two bodies, shot to death, were found in
an alley in the 4700 block of 6th St. North late Tuesday night.
Both victims were men, but no further information is
available about them. No arrests have been made and MPD officials are
asking anyone with information to call them.
4/18/07
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The horrible tragedy that occurred yesterday at Virginia
Tech is today's huge news story. Yesterday, it was a huge story, too,
but there was a paucity of real information available, leading many
people to jump to incorrect conclusions, particularly on the blogosphere
and on internet discussion forums.
Today, we know that the shooter was a young Korean man,
living in this country as a permanent foreign resident. He was also a
student at VT. We don't know his motives.
Yesterday, on one particularly noxious internet
discussion forum, Free Republic,
rumors were flying. Chief among those rumors was that the shooter was
probably a Muslim bent on terrorism. In some of the messages, there was
almost a sense of glee at the prospect, in a discussion thread that
exceeded 4000 messages posted by members of that forum. You can read the
entire message thread here.
Interspersed with the "Muslim" nonsense were
calls for all students to be armed on campus, diatribes against the
media's slowness in providing detailed information, and various
conspiracy theories regarding the shootings. If it were not such a
tragedy, the wild musings of the FReepers
there would be high comedy.
As the story developed, some incorrect names were
mentioned as the shooter. One young Korean man, so named, had death
threats posted at his web site, which I will not link to here. Further,
various comments about colleges in general being hotbeds of
"liberal" thinking added to the flames of this out-of-control
rumor mongering.
Even today, as the identity of the shooter is known,
there are folks posting on such discussion forums that there is a
cover-up, and that the real shooter is a middle eastern Muslim. Why a
cover-up? Who the heck knows why that unlikely thing would happen, but
such nonsense comes from folks who distrust the government in all
things. Yet, the same people trust nonsensical postings on a rambling
discussion forum. Go figure.
Beyond that, there are dozens of keyboard warriors on
Free Republic exclaiming about how they would have jumped the shooter
and disarmed him. None of these, of course, has ever been in any such
situation. Some are even castigating some of the students who have been
interviewed in the press for not doing just that. It's a disgusting
display.
The blogosphere is quick to point out how they are the
"new" media and to celebrate what they see as the coming death
of traditional journalistic outlets in the USA. Yet, when a story
breaks, the blogosphere is also the source of more misinformation than
you can measure.
Is the "mainstream" media biased? Sometimes it
is, but it does wait until information is available, most of the time,
before writing or broadcasting it, especially in cases like this, where
naming the wrong person can lead to serious consequences.
The ability to post whatever you wish on the internet is
a good thing. Heck, I'm a blogger myself. What is not a good thing is
the constant rumor spreading that happens on blogs and online discussion
forums. That sort of misinformation, conspiracy theory spreading, and
just downright incorrect information is a plague.
I invite interested readers to visit the link to the
thread on Free Republic. Read the whole thing...it takes quite a while.
You'll see what I mean. I find such things to be worse than nonsense.
The bad information can lead to very unpleasant, and even dangerous
action on the part of some folks.
Would I want to see such places banned from publishing
these idiotic discussion threads? Certainly not. I would, however,
caution anyone who visits such discussion forums to withhold judgment on
the veracity of what is posted there until they see it confirmed at a
reliable source.
4/17/07
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Me!
A man who died two months ago in a drug overdose didn't
die by accident. Authorities have ruled his death to be a homicide. The
man's name has not been release. He died on January 24th of this year.
Apparently, there is a suspect in the homicide, but that suspect is not
in custody.
4/17/07
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Me!
The hit and run that took the life of Angel Landi-Duran
on April 2, is now classed as a murder, and the driver, David Rodriguez,
of Iowa, will be charged with murder charges, and is being held on $1
million bail.
The incident occurred in Northeast Minneapolis,
beginning at La Conga Bistro, and ending in a crash which took Landi-Duran's
life.
4/10/07
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Me!
Three members of a Saint Paul family were shot dead
early this morning in their home. Maria McLay, 32, Brittney, 15, her
daughter, and Otahl Webb, 31, the woman's fiance. Details are unclear,
but police believe the shooting not to be random. There's evidence a robbery was involved and that all
three were shot in the head.
The shooting took place on the 200 Block of Burgess St.
W. The victims were discovered by a teenaged girl, who called police.
Two younger children fled the home and were not
hurt.
This northside neighborhood is normally quiet, but has
been changing in the past couple of years.
3/23/07
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Me!
Few things are more saddening and more outrageous than
the murder of an child, yet I must write about just such an incident in
Minneapolis. Just 41 days old, Delijahjuan Winden's troubles apparently
started when his caretaker, Daniel Leikas grew annoyed with the infants
crying and threw him into a car seat. That happened on Tuesday.
Later, the child was found not breathing by his mother,
who is not suspected of any involvement in the death, and police were
called in. After an autopsy, the head injury that killed the baby was
discovered, and Leikas was arrested. He'll appear for arraignment today,
and will probably be charged with 2nd degree murder.
The autopsy also discovered rib fractures that were
partially healed, an indication that this young baby's life had already
included considerable trauma. Leikas has a long history with the police.
What lies behind thi
