Charges: Man fatally shot teen in Brooklyn Park, fled in Uber
A deadly shooting happened near the African market at the intersection of Brookdale Drive and Yates, according to Brooklyn Park police. (FOX 9)
BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (FOX 9) - An 18-year-old man was charged for allegedly shooting and killing a 16-year-old in Brooklyn Park earlier this month.
Marcus Aaron Thornton was arrested Monday and is charged with one count of second-degree murder in connection to the crime.
According to the criminal complaint, at about 3:42 p.m. Aug. 17, police responded to reports of shots fired at the African Market in Brooklyn Park. Dispatch reported that a juvenile male was shot multiple times and was still inside the vehicle where the shooting occurred.
When officers arrived, they were approached by a man carrying the victim toward the squad car. The victim was placed on the ground, and officers noticed a gunshot wound on his torso. The victim was transported to the hospital where he later died.
On scene, officers located the car witnesses said the victim was sitting in when he got shot.
According to the complaint, officers also located several casings near a pillar at the front of the market. The casings appeared to be 9mm caliber.
Police also took a statement from a person identified as Witness 1, who said Thornton was the shooter and that he sold them a THC cartridge earlier in the day. Other witnesses pointed to a nearby apartment building, and officers obtained surveillance video from that building.
The surveillance video reportedly showed Thornton standing near the car the victim was in and, a short time later, he pulled what appeared to be a gun from his waistband and pointed it at the passenger window. The glass then shattered, and Thornton ran back to the apartment complex.
According to the complaint, another witness lives at the apartment complex and knows Thornton. He said Thornton threw his clothes onto their balcony, was let inside by the witness' girlfriend and then changed clothes. The witness then called an Uber for Thornton, who said he was going to his cousin's house. Thornton was last seen leaving in an SUV.
On Monday night, Brooklyn Park police arrested the man with help from the Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Hennepin County SWAT and Minneapolis SWAT.
Police say the suspect was armed at the time of the arrest and was taken into custody without incident. Police said they are not seeking any additional suspects in this investigation.