4 Charged In Prior Lake Homicide, Officer-Involved Shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Four people are facing charges in a deadly Prior Lake shooting last week that led to a police chase and officer-involved shooting in Edina.

Derrick Smith, 28, Tyrel Patterson, 27, and Brandy Jacques, 39, all of Minneapolis and Jonte Robinson, 26 of Brooklyn Park, are each facing multiple charges in the shooting death of James Herron. They include second-degree intentional murder, first-degree aggravated robbery, first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon and first-degree burglary.

According to the charges, Prior Lake police were called at about 2:11 a.m. on Nov. 23 to a report of a shooting at 2136 Sioux Trail. When officers arrived, they observed a vehicle leaving the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers followed the vehicle, which had at least three people inside. The vehicle headed northbound on County Road 83 before getting onto Highway 169 headed toward Bloomington and Edina.

The complaint states officers chased the vehicle on Highway 169 and forced it off the road at Londonderry Road exit. Three suspects got out of the vehicle and fled. As officers pursued, one suspect fired a handgun at police. That suspect, identified as Smith, was wounded by police. He was taken to a hospital, treated and taken into custody. Officers found several bags of marijuana in his possession. A second suspect, identified as Jacques, was apprehended by a K-9 unit and taken to the Edina Police Department. A third suspect, identified as Patterson, was arrested and taken to the Edina Police Department.

During the pursuit, officers at the Prior Lake residence gained entry and found James Herron unresponsive and suffering from gunshot wounds to his arm, leg and head. He was taken to St. Francis Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Witnesses said one of the suspects had shot Herron.

The complaint states a witness told police several people entered the house and gathered residents into one room. The suspects located Herron and asked him where the money was. He wouldn't say, and he was shot in the head. One of the suspects, Robinson, told police he had planned to go to Mystic Lake Casino with Patterson, a female and another male that night. They drove down from Minneapolis that night and when they arrived to the Prior Lake residence, they put on masks.

According to the complaint, one of the suspects told police they were going to a house to buy marijuana and if everything didn't go right, he was going to shoot someone. A witness told authorities there were seven people inside the residence at the time of the incident, not including the suspects.

On Wednesday, Eden Prairie police identified the officers involved in Smith's shooting as Brandon Carlston and Bryan Dean. They were not injured in the incident. Carlson has been with the department for eight years, and Dean five.

Smith has been charged with first-degree assault using deadly force against a police officer for firing at the officers during the chase.

All four face more than 100 years in prison if convicted on all charges.