MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — A man has been charged in connection with a mass shooting that left four individuals dead in Minneapolis earlier this week, as authorities continue to unravel the violent events that unfolded over a 24-hour period.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the identities of the victims, with the first three being 27-year-old Evan Ramon Denny, 17-year-old Joseph Douglas Goodwin, and 20-year-old Merelle Joan White. All three lost their lives from multiple gunshot wounds during an incident late Tuesday night on the 1500 block of 25th Street East, where homicide is officially classified as their cause of death.
On Thursday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara announced that James Duane Ortley, 34, has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder in connection with the shooting. Ortley was taken into custody the same day, around 3:40 p.m. His initial court appearance was set for Friday afternoon but has been rescheduled to May 5.
In a separate incident on Wednesday afternoon, police reported the death of 34-year-old Tiago Antonio Gilbert, who was shot on the 2100 block of 17th Avenue South. The Medical Examiner’s Office has also ruled his death a homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Gilbert’s murder may be linked as a retaliatory act for the earlier mass shooting.
Additionally, another victim was identified following a shooting on the 3000 block of 15th Avenue South. Fifty-one-year-old Derrick Lamont Ewing was pronounced dead at Hennepin Healthcare after suffering complications from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities noted that Ewing’s death appears unrelated to the mass shooting incident.
As the community grapples with the aftermath of these tragic events, police continue their investigation to determine the sequences and motivations behind the violence. With heightened concern about safety and crime in the affected neighborhoods, authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
The unfolding situation underscores ongoing challenges in urban areas with rising gun violence, prompting calls from local leaders for more preventative measures and community engagement to curb such incidents in the future.