Jury finds Jawan Carroll guilty on all counts in deadly nightclub shootings
MINNEAPOLIS -- A jury has found a man guilty of multiple counts following a deadly shooting outside a Minneapolis nightclub.
Jawan Carroll had been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder.
The shooting happened in May of last year outside Monarch nightclub. Police say 10 people were shot in a fight. Two of them died, including Charlie Johnson, a University of St. Thomas student hit by a stray bullet.
"This was a completely senseless act of violence, and I am thankful that justice has been done in this case," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said. "To all of those impacted by this tragic incident, I hope that this verdict can start to bring you some closure."
Sentencing was set for Monday, Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m.
Carroll had been awaiting trial on a separate shooting back in 2019 when he committed the 2021 shootings, that one outside a Pizza Luce. Court documents state there was a confrontation in front of the restaurant and someone started shooting. An innocent bystander was injured. Pizza Luce is just steps from where the 2021 shootings happened.
Carroll was arrested and charged with second-degree assault for the 2019 case. He posted bond and was released.
"There seems to just be this complete attitude in the system that we can simply release people on very low bails or no bails at all and expect everything to be fine," defense attorney Joe Tamburino, not affiliated with either case, said after charges were filed in the 2021 shootings.
Tamburino said he understands inmates being released during the height of COVID-19. However, he said he felt the frequency in which people are given low bail or no bail for their charges is trending in the wrong direction.
"I've been doing this work for 31 years since 1989 and over the past I would say year to 15-18 months, I've never seen it this worse in terms of people going in and out of the jail," he said.
Victim's family speaks
Greg Johnson, Charlie's father, spoke at the courthouse after the verdict.
"I wish I could say I was happy about it," he said. "I'm happy that that menace is off the street."
Camille Johnson, Charlie's sister, told WCCO in a statement, "Ultimately I'm so thankful for a jury that saw the truth (and) spoke up to serve justice. It doesn't undo what happened that night but it's a huge step in our grieving/healing journey!"
Camille accepted Charlie's diploma during the graduation ceremony he was supposed to attend.
The man suspected of shooting back at Carroll was the second person who died in the shooting.
Shanell Jones, the mother of his son, said Wednesday, "It's just good. Prosecutors did their thing. They got a monster off the streets."
The Johnsons have kept Charlie's memory alive through orange bracelets.
"It's orange for 'against gun violence', and it has a phrase 'I am Charlie,' which to us means we're committed to carrying Charlie through us the rest of our life, living like he taught us to live," Greg Johnson said.
St. Thomas now has a scholarship in Charlie's name for study abroad experiences.