'Nudieland' mass shooting suspect pleads guilty in concert venue attack | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

'Nudieland' mass shooting suspect pleads guilty in concert venue attack

One of the gunmen who authorities say opened fire on concertgoers at a Minneapolis house venue in 2023, killing one man and injuring six others, pleaded guilty on Wednesday.

Nudieland shooter pleads guilty

What we know:

Dominic James Burris, now 18, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting second-degree intentional murder and first-degree assault in the shooting.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office says Burris will face more than 23 years behind bars.

Burris is the second gunman to plead guilty in the case. Back in November, Cyrell Boyd, 18, accepted a plea deal that could allow him to avoid prison time in the shooting, if he stays out of further trouble.

Prosecutors said the guilty plea was critical to allow them to build the case against Burris, who they believed was the primary culprit.

Sentencing for Burris is scheduled for March 24.

What they're saying:

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty issued the following statement on Wednesday about the plea:

"This was a senseless attack on members of our LGBTQ+ community who were enjoying an evening of music and camaraderie in Minneapolis. I have been continually amazed by the strength of those close to August [Golden] throughout this process. Mr. Burris’s actions took August’s life and traumatized many more. It should never have happened, and the length of this sentence holds him accountable for the significant harm he caused and protects our community."

Nudieland shooting background

The backstory:

Police were called out to the shooting at Nudieland, an LGBTQ-friendly home concert venue on 16th Avenue South in Minneapolis, in the late night hours of Aug. 11, 2023.

As a local band was finishing up a performance, police said Burris and Boyd opened fire from a fence line along the perimeter.

Criminal charges spell out a homophobic incident that took place before shots were fired.

According to the complaint, Burris and Boyd became "hostile" when a concertgoer rejected their advances during the concert. Both teens made incentive comments to two concertgoers upon learning they were lesbians. Other witnesses heard the teens use slurs about their sexual orientation as well.

Witnesses said Burris and Boyd remained at the concert for a while, but then walked out the front door, along a fence line to the venue, and opened fire from a neighboring yard.

Nicholas "August" Golden, 35, was killed in the shooting while six others were hurt.

Both Burris and Boyd were minors at the time of the shooting but later ordered to stand trial as adults.

The Source: Court documents filed in Hennepin County and previous FOX 9 reporting

Crime and Public SafetyMinneapolis