Ricky Cobb shooting: Ryan Londregan's attorney files motion to dismiss murder charge
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hours after the Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed a murder charge against Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II, Londregan's attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him.
In the court filing, Londregan's attorney cited abuse of the grand jury process. It reads: "Londregan moves the court for an order dismissing the state's complaint for abuse of the grand jury process, in that the state empaneled a grand jury and, when the grand jury did not return an indictment, proceeded to charge defendant via complaint, thus using the grand jury improperly as a substitute for discovery."
A court date for the filing has not been set.
Londegren was charged Wednesday with second-degree unintentional murder, second-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault in connection to the July 31, 2023, traffic stop. These charges come nearly six months after the fatal shooting, and follow calls from Cobb’s family for the firing and charging of Londregan.
Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan. (Supplied)
Minnesota State Patrol troopers pulled over Cobb during a traffic stop on Interstate 94 near 42nd Avenue around 1:50 a.m. on July 31, 2023. Authorities previously said Cobb had a felony warrant out of Ramsey County and attempted to detain him when he fled. A trooper then shot Cobb, and he died from his injuries.
Dash camera and body camera videos that were released show the three troopers approaching Cobb's vehicle and asking him to get out of the car, and then they attempt to physically remove him after he refused to exit. Londregan then fired his gun, killing Cobb.
Following the shooting, the BCA has said there was a gun in the back of Cobb's vehicle — but never visibly in his possession — when he was fatally shot.
Londregan had about 1.5 years of law enforcement experience at the time of the shooting. All three troopers involved in the traffic stop were placed on administrative leave following the incident. They remain on paid leave as of Wednesday morning.