Man Charged With Murder In September Downtown Minneapolis Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Brooklyn Center man is facing murder charges following the death of a woman Saturday after a shooting in downtown Minneapolis in early September.
Jenna Rae Heilman, 28, was one of two people shot in the early-morning hours of Sept. 5 near the intersection of 5th Street and Hennepin Avenue. She had been in critical condition since the incident, but died Saturday due to complications from her injuries.
Sherman Alexander, 31, has been charged with murder in connection with her death. He had previously been charged with assault in the incident. He was also charged with one count of a felon possessing a firearm.
The charges state just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 5, an off-duty Minneapolis police officer working at the Pourhouse Bar heard gunshots. He saw Alexander shooting at a group of people before he ran through a parking lot while he continued shooting.
The officer pursued Alexander and found him trying to hide in the back seat of a vehicle. He was arrested, and a .45-caliber handgun was found on the floor of the back seat.
The complaint states a man who was likely the intended target spoke with the officer. He told authorities Heilman was his girlfriend and they were at the Pourhouse when someone from Alexander's group tried to steal a bottle of alcohol off their table. A fight followed, and the man left the bar with Heilman. They were getting into a vehicle when multiple shots rang out, and Alexander was running at them.
To help Heilman's family, donate at her GoFundMe page.