Charges dropped against Minneapolis brothers in connection to fatal shooting of cousin, 15
MINNEAPOLIS — Criminal charges have been dropped against two teenage brothers in connection to the fatal shooting of their 15-year-old cousin in Minneapolis this summer.
Tyla Terry died from a gunshot wound to the torso on Aug. 24 inside a home near 34th Avenue North and Logan Avenue North in the Folwell neighborhood.
According to the dismissal petitions filed last week in Hennepin County, the brothers' 17-year-old friend was suspected of accidentally shooting Terry before fleeing the home.
Police arrived to find the boys and their parents still at the scene and interviewed all four. The boys denied witnessing the shooting but were soon arrested and charged with a count of aiding an offender after the fact.
County prosecutors sought to charge the suspect with manslaughter, but later determined they had insufficient evidence to prove he was the one who fired the fatal round, despite his fingerprints being on the weapon.
Instead, prosecutors would only be able to charge the suspect with being a minor in possession of a gun, therefore nullifying the aiding-and-abetting charges against the brothers — whom prosecutors were also unable to prove assisted with the suspect's getaway.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara decried the killing in a press conference in August.
"Whether this is a terrible accident highlighting the need for the proper care and storage of guns, or this is somehow connected to the growing violence among teenagers, the loss of a 15-year-old girl is an unacceptable tragedy," O'Hara said.
Shaquila Brown, Terry's older sister, told WCCO in August she was the "sweetest person in the whole world," and was "so excited for 10th grade."
"I'm going to miss her laugh, I'm going to miss her coming into my room. I'm going to miss everything," Brown said.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Aug. 26, 2024.