Hit-And-Run Suspect Fatally Shot Man Who Tried To Stop Him; Carjacking Escape Interrupted By Community Members
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An innocent man is dead after a car crash Friday quickly escalated into a shooting in north Minneapolis. One of the drivers is accused of killing someone who tried to stop him from running away. Then the driver tried to carjack a woman.
A WCCO photojournalist was nearby when it all unfolded, and captured the chaos as other bystanders stepped in to stop the suspect.
It all started at the intersection of West Broadway and Lyndale avenues in north Minneapolis. Police were called out for a car crash with shots fired.
Police say one of the drivers was trying to flee and fatally shot a man.
"The guy that was shot was trying to stop the guy from running from a hit-and-run, he ran into somebody and tried to escape," Trenton Pollard, with We Push For Peace, said.
The scene quickly moved from intersection to across the street at Cub Foods. That's where the crime spree ended. Bystanders and members of the community group We Push For Peace intervened when they saw the man try to carjack a woman in the parking lot.
"You can see what's going on, she's in distress and he's the one that has her in distress," Jerrod Jackson, with We Push For Peace, said.
Those who intervened took what appeared to be a protective vest off the man, and kept him on the ground until police arrived. They got the woman to safety. She told us she's doing OK.
"She just told me thank you for helping, being there for her," Jackson said. "My thing was just to calm her down, make sure she knows she wasn't out here alone."
While the suspect was caught, police say an innocent life was lost.
"Obviously, somebody who was trying to do the right thing, and suffered a tremendous consequence," Minneapolis police officer Garrett Parten said.
Police looking into the motive for the shooter's actions say they believe he was in the city to buy or sell drugs.
"It's a sad standard that we have here in north Minneapolis. Senseless killings happen too often," Pollard said.
This is the 84th murder in the city so far this year. That matches the overall homicide total in 2020. The suspect has not yet been charged.
Police caution people against getting involved for their safety. They say the best way the community can help when they see something is to call police, make noise, pull out their phone and start recording.