Minneapolis chase, shootout: Man pleads guilty after incident killed bystander on scooter

Bystander killed after shootout leads to crash in Minneapolis

18-year-old Autumn Merrick had recently graduated and was on her way home from work when she was struck and killed from the violent exchange between cars Wednesday night.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A man has pleaded guilty to his alleged involvement in a car chase and shooting that killed a bystander riding a scooter in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis in 2021.

Christopher Walker, 35, was charged with attempted second-degree murder, second- and third-degree murder, and a weapons charge in connection to the incident on Oct. 6, 2021. He pleaded guilty on Tuesday to third-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in exchange for the other charges being dropped.

According to court records, Walker was driving one of the two SUVs that were chasing each other, and firing back-and-forth, before the violent crash that killed 18-year-old Autumn Merrick.

Merrick was riding a scooter with her friend, getting snacks at the Holiday Gas Station near Target Field, when she was struck by one of the vehicles and ended up pinned underneath.

A passenger in Walker’s car, Marvel Williams, was sentenced in March 2023 to 291 months in prison. Williams had previously pleaded guilty to several charges, including third-degree murder.

If a Hennepin County judge accepts the terms of Walker’s plea agreement, he faces a sentence between 260 months and 291 months (approximately 21–24 years) in prison. Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18.