Dpree Robinson Charged In Shooting Death Of Trinity Ottoson-Smith, 9

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has been charged with murder in the shooting death of a 9-year-old girl in north Minneapolis last May.

Dpree Shareef Robinson has been charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents filed in Hennepin County Tuesday. The documents were sealed until Robinson's arrest, which the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced Wednesday.

Robinson was arrested at his Minneapolis home without incident and booked into Hennepin County Jail.

On May 15, Trinity Ottoson-Smith of Minneapolis was struck by a stray bullet while jumping on a trampoline at a friend's birthday party. She died from her injuries 12 days later in the hospital.

The BCA believes Ottoson-Smith was an "unintended target of a gang-related drive-by shooting." Agents with the BCA discovered information that led to the suspect's arrest.

"Families deserve to know who did this to their children." BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said. "We have worked diligently to achieve justice for Trinity and her family. This is the first step toward achieving that justice."

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT DETAILS

According to a criminal complaint, investigators first tied Robinson to Ottoson-Smith's shooting via the suspect vehicle, which was captured on video surveillance.

That video shows the drive-by shooting that killed Ottoson-Smith, as well as return fire from someone at the house where she was shot.

The complaint states investigators discovered Robinson may have purchased the suspect vehicle, a 2014 Ford Fusion, three days before the shooting. To this day, the vehicle has not been found. Robinson's cellphone records show he was in the same vicinity as the suspect vehicle on the day of the shooting, the complaint states.

Robinson has advertised himself on his social media accounts as a member of the Black Disciples gang, the complaint states. He had been making threats on social media to a rival gang member who lived at the address at which Ottoson-Smith was shot, investigators said.

Robinson was also allegedly romantically involved with that rival's sister, though investigators say the two had broken up and had "hostile communications" just three days before the shooting.

According to the complaint, a break in the investigation came in February when an acquaintance of Robinson's told police Robinson admitted to being in a shootout with rival gang members. Robinson told the acquaintance he saw the next day that a girl had been shot, and he was "confused. He didn't know if it was them, or it could have been him."

Investigators said a review of the surveillance footage shows Ottoson-Smith was shot before the return fire occurred, and additionally, the return fire was shot away from Ottoson-Smith's location.

Robinson is due in court Thursday afternoon.

'I Love To Talk About Trinity'

As close to his heart as possible is the little girl who always had it. Raishawn Smith clutched a pendant hanging from his neck. It has a picture of his daughter Trinity, surrounded by gems that attract the eye.

"It's my way to keep her in the forefront. People see [the pendant] like you see it. It's a conversation starter," he said with a smile. "I love to talk about Trinity."

A warmth comes over Smith at the mention of his daughter, joy that's been hard to find the past nine months as police searched for Trinity's killer. It's why one can understand his emotional release upon learning a suspect was arrested. He got the news from Trinity's mother in a text message, then a phone call.

"When she said it, when she actually said it is when I just, I just went to my knees and I started crying. That's all I could do in that moment," he said.

Ottoson-Smith was one of three young children struck by stray bullets in north Minneapolis in a span of three weeks last spring.

On April 30, 10-year-old Ladavionne Garrett Jr. was also shot in the head while sitting in the back seat of his parents' car, en route to his grandmother's house in north Minneapolis. He returned home after six months in the hospital.

Aniya Allen, 6, died on May 19, two days after she was shot while in her family's car on the way home from McDonald's. Arrests have not been made in those cases.

Allen is the granddaughter of community activist KG Wilson.

"My spirit has been touched today, you know. Hope is bigger than I've ever seen it before," Wilson said.

Wednesday evening, he visited the memorial site for the three children at 36th Avenue and Penn Avenue North. He was overcome with relief upon hearing of the arrest. His faith in justice for his granddaughter was renewed.

"I think the whole city should be celebrating for Trinity. Trinity, we did it, we didn't give up," he yelled toward the sky. "I know she's up there with Aniya right now. And they know better than we know. And Aniya's probably saying 'Papa I'm next. Papa I'm next.' They're up there playing together."

That hope for justice is what Smith wants other families in their situation to feel. He understands how difficult that can be because he has lived it. He continues to live it.

"I'm not afraid to admit that I am broken because of this situation," he said.

This day however was a break from being broken.

"I don't want to say celebrate because it's not really a celebration. I think I'm more looking forward. I have something to look forward to," Smith said.