Crime
Victims Killed in Targeted South Minneapolis Shooting Identified
Minneapolis, MN — A late-night shooting in the Phillips neighborhood of south Minneapolis left three people dead and two others seriously injured on Tuesday, according to Minneapolis police.
The incident occurred just before midnight near the intersection of Bloomington Avenue and East 25th Street.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed during a press conference early Wednesday morning that the initial investigation suggests a “high probability” the shooting was targeted.
“This is an absolutely senseless tragedy,” O’Hara stated. “There are families suffering tonight, grieving, and we must acknowledge the devastating impact this has on our community.”
Police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire. Upon arrival, officers found five adult victims — four inside a vehicle and one male on the sidewalk.
Three individuals — two males and one female — were pronounced dead at the scene.
They have since been identified as:
- Leras Rainey
- Evan Denny, also known as Ramone Day
- Maleice White
Two additional victims — a male and a female — sustained potentially life-threatening injuries and were transported to a nearby hospital.
Their current conditions have not been publicly updated.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
Investigators are working to determine the motive and any potential suspects.
Authorities have not yet released further details about the circumstances leading up to the violence.
As police were processing the initial crime scene, additional gunshots were reported approximately five blocks away in the 3000 block of 15th Avenue South.
Officers responded and located evidence of gunfire, though no victims were present.
Shortly thereafter, a person with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound arrived at a nearby hospital.
Authorities are still working to determine whether the two incidents are related.
Chief O’Hara called on the public for assistance. “We need our entire community to stand up and not accept this level of violence,” he said. “When people come forward with information quickly, it significantly increases our ability to deliver justice for victims and their families.”
A spokesperson for Mayor Jacob Frey also addressed the incident, calling the violence “tragic and unacceptable.”
“This senseless violence has no place in our city and detracts from the progress being made,” said spokesperson Aaron Rose. “As we head into summer, Mayor Frey’s top priority is keeping our streets and neighborhoods safe.”
Anyone with information related to the shooting is urged to contact the Minneapolis Police Department or submit tips anonymously through CrimeStoppers.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL — A Jefferson County Jail inmate has died four days after he was discovered attempting to take his own life inside his jail cell.
Authorities have confirmed the death of 27-year-old Charlie James Dunn, a Bessemer resident, following a suicide attempt that involved hanging himself with a bed sheet.
According to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office, Dunn was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 3:20 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2025.
Detention staff immediately intervened, and Dunn was transported to UAB Medical West for emergency treatment.
Despite medical efforts, Dunn was pronounced clinically dead at 3:52 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. However, he was kept on life support temporarily, as he had elected to be an organ donor.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge David Carpenter ordered all pending criminal charges against Dunn formally dismissed on Thursday.
This legal action allowed his family to authorize organ donation and discontinue life-sustaining measures in accordance with his wishes.
Dunn had been booked into the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer on April 14, facing charges of drug possession and receiving stolen property.
He was also under indictment in a separate case for attempted murder involving gunfire directed at a vehicle.
His death marks the second recent suicide-related fatality at the Bessemer jail facility, with both inmates succumbing to injuries at UAB Medical West following self-harm incidents.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has not commented on any potential policy reviews or procedural changes following these incidents. The matter remains under internal investigation.
Support resources are being made available to jail staff and inmates in the aftermath of the incident.