5 Charged After Gang Brawl Ignites Shootings
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (WCCO) – Five juveniles were charged Friday by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in connection with two melees that involved rival gang members on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14.
Trejan Samuel Tyson, 17 of Brooklyn Park, was charged with second-degree assault, five other assault counts and one count of certain persons not to have pistols.
Devantae Rashad Johnson, 17 of Brooklyn Center, was charged with second-degree assault with a criminal gang, second-degree assault and second-degree riot in association with a gang.
Keith Cornell Oliver, 17 of Brooklyn Center, was charged with second-degree riot in association with a gang, second-degree riot and certain persons not to have pistols.
Tywon Thyestes Beasley, 16 of Minneapolis, was charged with second-degree riot in association with a gang and second-degree riot. A 14-year-old boy was also charged with riot in association with a gang and another count of rioting.
According to court documents, the juveniles are all members of the Savage Squad gang. On Aug. 13, a group from that gang met at the Earle Brown Elementary School in Brooklyn Center. Johnson showed the group there a .38-caliber revolver and told everyone there it was the "gang's gun."
At about 8:30 that night, Brooklyn Center Police were called to the Georgetown Apartments on the 800 block of 66th Avenue North on a report of a large fight and shots fired on the complex's playground. When authorities arrived, they learned that more than a half dozen Savage Squad gang members went to the apartments, knowing it was the territory of a rival gang, according to court documents.
A fight ensued and during the fight, Johnson fired several shots before the group fled the scene.
Around midnight, several of the Savage Squad gang members were at a house party on the 7600 block of Brunswick Avenue North when they heard members of the rival gang were coming to the party, according to court documents.
Tyson fired several shots, striking three people who suffered minor injuries. Police later recovered the gun. All five juveniles are still in jail pending whether they will be tried as juveniles or adults in the case.
