HIBBING, MN – A man faces a charge of second-degree intentional murder after allegedly shooting a party attendee he had just met in a late-night apartment complex parking lot encounter, then misleading officers before providing a detailed confession.
Daniel James Dale, 30, of Hibbing, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of 24-year-old Parker Charles Johnson. Authorities say Johnson was killed in the parking lot of Meadowview Apartments on 9th Avenue West during the early hours of Sunday morning.
Police were summoned to the scene at around 2:16 a.m. after reports of gunfire. On their arrival, officers discovered Johnson lying on the ground with apparent gunshot wounds to his chest. Medical personnel attempted to revive him, but he was declared dead at the scene.
Next to the victim’s body, investigators found a shotgun and multiple spent 9 mm shell casings. The initial evidence pointed to a violent and brief confrontation, though the specifics remained unclear in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
Witness accounts played a major role in identifying Dale as a suspect. According to one individual present in the parking lot, a man wearing a distinctive Deadpool sweatshirt fired three shots, at first believed to be into nearby woods. The same man was later seen at the apartment’s party.
When interviewed, Dale initially told officers he had been inside when the shooting occurred and claimed not to know Johnson. Authorities noted that he laughed several times during questioning. However, surveillance footage later revealed Dale outside, removing the Deadpool sweatshirt shortly after police arrived, which matched the witness description.
During subsequent police interviews, Dale admitted to owning a 9 mm handgun but first claimed he hadn’t used it in months before changing his story to say he had fired the weapon within the previous week. He refused requests to hand over his firearm for forensic examination.
As investigators pressed Dale, informing him about Minnesota’s self-defense laws, he confessed to shooting Johnson, stating that he had been consumed by guilt throughout the night. Dale recounted that Johnson had approached him at the party and led him to the parking lot, where Johnson purportedly fetched a long gun from his vehicle and aimed it at Dale. In response, Dale said he drew his handgun and fired three shots.
After the shooting, Dale said he returned to the party rather than attempting to help Johnson, telling investigators he avoided touching the victim to keep from leaving evidence.
However, security camera footage reviewed by police contradicted some of Dale’s statements. The video showed a six-second gap between the first and subsequent shots, with the initial gunshot hitting Johnson in the face. The following two shots struck Johnson in the back as he was turning away.
Dale remains in custody at the St. Louis County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on November 17 as the investigation continues.