Minneapolis man pleads guilty in fatal shootings from 2023
Generic police lights. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to two fatal shootings from 2023 that occurred within a month of each other.
The plea agreement
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said on Wednesday that Calong Markus Hatchett, 21, has entered a guilty plea for his role in two deadly shootings in 2023.
In connection with the June 2023 shooting, Hatchett entered a guilty plea for second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder.
For the July 2023 shooting, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in exchange for the first-degree assault charge being dropped.
"The violence perpetrated by Mr. Hatchett on the victims of these shootings was shocking, and a long prison sentence is appropriate to protect the community," said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a statement. "My thoughts are with the surviving victims as they attempt to move forward with their lives, and with the loved ones of those who were killed as they continue to mourn their devastating losses."
Hatchett’s sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 28. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he is expected to receive a 567-month (47.25-year) prison sentence, according to the county attorney’s office.
The June 2023 shooting
On June 25, Hatchett was with two other men when they crossed paths with a couple. One of the men pulled out a gun and shot the boyfriend, later identified as 26-year-old Ali Reed.
Reed died at the scene, while the other victim ran to safety while being shot at.
The July 2023 shooting
On July 23, Minneapolis police responded to an apartment building on the 3000 block of East 58th Street for a reported shooting and found Tonia Powell with multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Police then went into the victim’s apartment and found another woman who sustained a gunshot wound. She underwent surgery and survived her injuries.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said Hatchett was arrested in July with the firearm, and it was later matched to the other shooting.