Minneapolis recorded its third and fourth homicides of the new year over the weekend.
The first occurred early Thursday morning when a man was shot inside a tent encampment situated near the Metro Transit Cedar Riverside LRT Station near South 15th Avenue and South 6th Street. Police were dispatched to the encampment about 6:25 a.m. on a report of a shooting. Police arrived and found a male shot in the head and upper chest who was in cardiac arrest, according to dispatch audio at the time. Police later released a statement confirming the male had died from his injuries. The decedent has since been identified as 27-year-old Adnan Mohamed Ali of Minneapolis. No arrests had been made at the time, and no suspect information was made available.
The city’s fourth homicide occurred about 6:30 p.m. Friday when a teen male was shot inside a stolen vehicle that then crashed near 40th and Dupont Avenue North. The teen was driving the stolen vehicle, police said. Two other juvenile occupants in the vehicle were uninjured. Police were initially dispatched on the report of a vehicle crash at the location, and the call was updated to a shooting. When police arrived, they indicated that CPR was in progress, according to dispatch audio. Several minutes later, police indicated that EMS on site had determined that the victim was deceased. One officer aired that they found “a bunch of casings” in front of an address on the 3800 block of Dupont Avenue North. The MPD statement said that Shotspotter technology had indicated 14 rounds had been fired and that they believed the shots and the crash were related. Information later aired indicated that the stolen vehicle involved was a Kia that had been spotted earlier in the day after it was stolen from Brooklyn Center. Police from Brooklyn Center had been following the vehicle, but lost sight of it as it headed toward Minneapolis on Osseo Road just after 11 a.m. Friday. No suspect information was made available related to the shooting, but a police surveillance camera operator aired at the time to police that a vehicle similar to a silver Honda Odyssey van had been seen following directly behind the Kia at the time of the Shotspotter activation. They reported that one party in the van was “clearly hanging out the window” of the van. It was not made clear whether the shots came from the van or whether it was believed to contain the shooter.
The killings leave the city ahead of last year’s homicide pace which didn’t record its fourth homicide until the first week in February.
Another person died in Minneapolis early Thursday morning in what police later called a fatal pedestrian hit and run that occurred near the south end of Lake Nokomis. Police and medical responders had been dispatched just after 7 a.m. on a report of a male down in the snow near Cedar Avenue and East Lake Nokomis Parkway. EMS arrived on scene and reported that the party was deceased. Police continued to the scene and shut down traffic in the area for a time while the scene was documented and investigated, according to dispatch audio.
Friends and family later identified the deceased party as 39-year-old David Phillip Norris, who was a librarian at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. Social media posts about Norris indicate that he was well-liked and loved his work.
A memorial posted on St. Kate’s website stated that Norris had been a librarian at the school since 2019. They said Norris had a passion for equity in information access and was caring and inquisitive. They said Norris enjoyed gaming, learning languages, traveling, and exploring the outdoors.
The decedent in this fatal pedestrian hit and run has been identified as David Phillip Norris, a librarian at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.
There's been no update on the suspect or vehicle.
. pic.twitter.com/qeWXzEFl8f— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) January 13, 2023
The Eden Prairie SWAT Team assisted U.S. Postal inspectors Thursday in an early morning search warrant executed at a home on the 11600 block of Welters Way.
Eden Prairie Local News reported that neighbors were awakened about 6 a.m. to a contingent of law enforcement forming in front of the home in the Olympic Hills neighborhood. The warrant was reportedly executed without incident.
The search activity reportedly continued at the home until at least mid-afternoon.
An EPPD spokesperson told EPLN that the agency serving the search warrant was the United States Postal Inspection Service.
EPLN reported that Postal Inspection Service spokesperson Rachel Williams confirmed that her agency was involved in the morning raid and that it is related to an investigation to which significant resources are being applied. Williams declined further comment citing an ongoing criminal investigation.
Humboldt High School in St. Paul reportedly went into lockdown status two days in a row Thursday and Friday following reports of students trying to enter the school with guns, according to dispatch audio on both days. The school is located at 30 Baker Street East in the city’s West Side neighborhood.
In the Thursday incident, audio indicated that a fight had ensued between staff and a student after they confronted the student and tried to search the student’s satchel. The student reportedly fled from the school with the satchel and was not immediately located. In the Friday incident, audio stated that a staff member had been assaulted by at least two students, and that one of them was believed to have had a gun. Police later aired that one of three suspects in the Friday incident had been located inside the school, and that two others named over dispatch were wanted for assault on the staff member.
In response to an email inquiry to the school, a representative said that no weapons were found either day, and that two staff members were treated on scene by medical responders in one of the incidents, and no one was hospitalized. The representative also said they did not believe the two incidents were related. A copy of an email reportedly sent out to parents and families by the principal on Friday morning was included. The email stated the school is working with the St. Paul Schools Security Emergency Management team to have extra security in place when school resumes on Tuesday following the holiday.
Text from an email reportedly sent out by Humboldt principal today. It's unclear which incident is being referred to in this email.
We're told no weapons were found either day.
The incidents are not believed to be related.
Two staff were treated on scene following the fight. pic.twitter.com/GmBjjR8Mpm— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) January 13, 2023
Michael Isaac Klinger, 37, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday in the shooting homicide of Katie Ann Fredrickson, 34, in Brooklyn Center last July.
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The decedent in this shooting homicide has been identified as Katie Ann Fredrickson, 34, of Brooklyn Center.Multiple gunshot wounds. pic.twitter.com/xXX9TT8kOA
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) August 3, 2022
Fredrickson was Klinger’s on again-off again girlfriend, and charges said he shot her during an argument.
Klinger was on parole at the time of the murder and had three prior convictions for felon in possession of a firearm – he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Klinger was charged following the murder in a separate case in which he shot and killed the dog of another ex-girlfriend in Minneapolis just days before Fredrickson’s murder. Klinger was charged in that case with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and felony animal torture.
As part of a plea deal on both cases, the animal torture charge was dismissed at sentencing, as well as a felony drug charge and another charge of felon in possession of a firearm related to the murder case.
Klinger pled guilty to second-degree murder and the count of felon in possession of a firearm in the second case. The 60-month sentence on the gun charge will be served concurrently with the murder sentence. Under Minnesota sentencing rules, offenders are only required to serve two-thirds of their sentence incarcerated. As such, Klinger is expected to serve about 26 years in prison and the remainder on supervised release.
Both Apple Valley and Lakeville reported bank robberies on Thursday. The first occurred in Apple Valley about 10 a.m. at the Huntington Bank located 7530 142nd Street West Huntington Bank. Police said a male produced a handgun and then advised the clerk to obtain money from the safe. Staff members entered the safe together, locked the door and left the suspect in the main bank area; staff then contacted the police. The suspect fled on foot prior to the officers’ arrival. The suspect is described as a thin black male wearing a dark puffy jacket with hood and yellow disposable facemask. Officers checked the area on foot and in vehicles and were not able to locate the suspect. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information on the suspect should contact Detective Pogatchnik at 952-953-2895.
Lakeville officers responded to a bank robbery at Wells Fargo, located at 8790 207th Street, at 1:26 p.m. Thursday, January 12. The suspect displayed a handgun and demanded cash. He was gone prior to officer’s arrival and was described as a black male in his early to mid-twenties. Police said no one was hurt during the incident. Lakeville police are being assisted in the case by the FBI. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Detective Russ Helmueller at 952-985-4847.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office announced on Thursday that Casimir Anthony Semlak, 18, has been certified for adult prosecution in connection with the May 8, 2022, fatal shooting in South St. Paul of 17-year-old Anthony John Skelley.
Details from the criminal complaint describe a possible drug deal gone wrong. When police arrived at the scene of reported gunshots, they found Skelley shot in the head, torso, and shoulder. The unresponsive Skelley had a BB gun in his hand, and spent shell casings from a 9mm firearm were found near Skelley’s body. A bag of marijuana and a cell phone were found nearby in the street.
Neighbors reported hearing shots and seeing a car leave the area at a high rate of speed. Nearby surveillance cameras recorded portions of the incident including the vehicle neighbors described in front of Skelley’s residence. A male inside Skelley’s residence told police he heard Skelley on the phone say something to the effect of, “ok, I’m coming out.” After Skelley walked out, the witness said he heard gunshots.
A search of Skelley’s phone revealed Semlak’s phone number was the last one contacted. Investigators also found a text string between the two discussing the sale of marijuana.
At the time of his arrest, Semlak had in his possession a Springfield Hellcat 9mm handgun. The bullets in the magazine matched the brand of the casings left behind at the murder scene.
Semlak made his first adult court appearance on Thursday, and bail was set at $1 million. His next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 26, 2023.
Deundrick Damon McIntosh, 44, was charged on Friday in Dakota County District Court related to a Dec. 22 bank robbery at Vermillion State Bank in Inver Grove Heights where two employees were restrained with zip ties. One victim was reported to have sustained bruising and scratching from being roughly handled during the robbery.
McIntosh, who records state has no permanent address, has been charged with one count of first-degree aggravated robbery and two counts of kidnapping, all felonies.
Charges say McIntosh and an unnamed accomplice entered the bank, restrained the two employees, and got away with over $78,000 in cash and coins, including a number of “bait bills” that are used by banks to aid in the tracing of bank robbers.
Police later found the vehicle the suspects used to flee the scene. Inside, police found coins, masks, and a black bag that had been previously described by the bank employees. The vehicle was tracked back to a person who said they believed McIntosh was one of the bank robbery suspects. The witness had seen McIntosh the morning of the robbery wearing clothes that matched those worn by one of the suspects. The witness also later observed McIntosh with a backpack full of cash and loose change and said McIntosh had spent unusual sums of money in the days after the bank robbery.
When police caught up with McIntosh on Jan. 11, he was found with a large number of $20 bills on him including one of the bait bills. Additional large sums of money were recovered during a search of McIntosh’s residence, including three additional “bait bills.”
McIntosh made his first court appearance on Friday and was granted a public defender. Bail was set at $750,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 8.
Court records show McIntosh has two prior felony convictions in Minnesota on charges of domestic assault by strangulation, and felon in possession of a firearm. Public records and media reports indicate that McIntosh has a prior conviction out of Indiana for armed robbery of a pizza place.
Minneapolis police responded Friday morning to reports that several businesses on the 300 block of 14th Avenue Southeast in the Dinkytown area had been burglarized, according to dispatch audio. Police requested a K9 to search one of the larger buildings. Later that morning, Blarney Pub and Grill, located at 412 14th Avenue Southeast, posted a surveillance image of a man they said broke into the business overnight and stole cash, liquor, and damaged property. No public statement was released by MPD about the burglaries, and it’s unconfirmed if they were all related or if there may have been more than one suspect.
— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) January 14, 2023
The St. Paul Police Department asked for the public’s help on Friday to identify a person suspected in three bank robberies (top photo) in their city in December. No specific information was offered by SPPD on the dates or locations of the incidents. Anyone with information is asked to call 651-266-5650.
Dominique Monike Dixon, 28, was charged Friday in Hennepin County District Court following a Thursday evening squad ramming incident in Minneapolis.
A Minneapolis Park Police officer called out over the air just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday that he had a suspect at gunpoint after his squad had been rammed by a stolen vehicle near East 31st Street and Columbus Avenue.
Charges say Dixon was seen moving from the driver’s seat into the passenger seat following the crash and that she told police she was not the driver. Squad video confirmed that Dixon was driving the vehicle prior to the crash. After being placed in the back of the squad, officers observed Dixon squirming around. After she was removed from the squad, officers found a bindle of suspected narcotics on the floor near where she was seated. Police subsequently located drug paraphernalia and a needle with blood in it in Dixon’s purse. More narcotics were located in Dixon’s pants pockets. The two baggies of suspected narcotics field-tested positive for .11 grams of cocaine, and .12 grams of fentanyl.
Dixon has been charged in the case with auto theft and two counts of fifth-degree controlled substance, all felonies, and remains in custody awaiting a first court appearance on Tuesday.
Dixon was just charged in November with a felony count of threats of violence after charges say she repeatedly tried to strike a pedestrian on the sidewalk while driving a vehicle in Minneapolis. She later said the man was the father of her child. Dixon was released from custody in December with zero bail required by Judge Shereen M. Askalani after pleading guilty under the terms of a plea agreement that specified she would receive a stay-of-imposition and be placed on probation at sentencing. She is scheduled for sentencing in that case in February.
Brooklyn Center police reported a fatal shooting took place on Friday afternoon on the 6900 block of Brooklyn Boulevard. Police initially reported that they responded about 3:15 p.m. to a parking lot at the location and found an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition, and police later updated that he died from his injuries. An area school briefly went into lockdown following the incident. Police didn’t offer any information about suspects or a possible motive for the shooting, but dispatch audio indicated that the suspect vehicle was described as a 2014 Audi Q7.
The decedent has since been identified as 42-year-old Kevin Devon Wallace of Brooklyn Center. The medical examiner noted the cause of death as a gunshot to the abdomen.
BCPD said they were being assisted in the ongoing investigation by members of the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force (VOTF).
Two people were shot in Apple Valley outside Cowboy Jack’s early Sunday morning. Police were dispatched about 2:18 a.m. to the location at 14998 Glazier Avenue on a report of a shooting, according to police dispatch audio. A male told someone at the bar that his brother had been shot in the lot. Police arrived and learned there had been a dispute between two groups that had fled in vehicles. Police found no victims on site. Police later released information to media stating that two males had shown up at separate area hospitals with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and both were believed to be involved in the apple valley incident. Dispatch audio indicated that at least one of the gunshot victims showed up about 2:40 a.m. at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. The victim originally told people at the hospital that he accidentally shot himself. The hospital briefly went into a lockdown.
Brooklyn Park police reported that a carjacking took place Sunday night in a fast-food drive-thru on the 7600 block of West Broadway Avenue. Police were dispatched about 10 p.m. and learned that the incident had occurred about ten minutes prior. The driver/owner of the vehicle was approached by a male suspect wearing a green jacket and green pants who implied that he had a firearm. The suspect took the vehicle and left eastbound on Brooklyn Blvd. The vehicle was not immediately located, police said.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
