MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Brooklyn Center woman was arrested in Georgia last month after allegedly eluding the authorities for more than two years.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says 51-year-old Mai Vu Vang was brought back to Minneapolis over the weekend; she faces six counts of theft by swindle for a scam that allegedly stole nearly half a million dollars from the Minnesota Hmong community.

Court documents say Vang left for Georgia while an investigation by the Fridley Police Department and Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau was still active. In June 2017 she was charged in Clark County with false reporting of a crime and obstruction of law enforcement officers. The Hennepin County attorney filed the theft by swindle charges by warrant in December 2017.

The authorities then asked local police officers in Georgia to contact Vang at her suspected address, but the officers say they were unable to. Vang was ultimately taken into custody during a traffic stop and held on the Clark County charges.

Charges in Hennepin County accuse her of orchestrating a fraud scheme — by convincing people to invest in a ginseng farm she claimed to own near Wausau, Wisconsin. Nine victims lost a total of more than $450,000, according to investigators. They say one couple who new Vang from church “gave her their life savings.”

At the same time, according to investigators Mystic Lake Casino records show that Vang spent more than one million dollars at the casino between 2012 and 2014. Investigators say “her buy-in increased each year as she took money from the victims,” from less than $75,000 in 2012 to nearly $665,000 in 2014.

Vang was scheduled to make her first court appearance on Monday, where prosecutors are moving to set bail at $500,000.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A northwestern Wisconsin woman is due in court on charges in the death of a man who fell from the top of her moving pickup truck.

Tara Appleton, 31, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and three other felonies in the death of 27-year-old Preston Decorah.

Prosecutors in Burnett County say Appleton, Decorah, and a friend left a party at a home. She was driving, and Decorah crawled out of a window to the top of the pickup and then fell off.

Appleton and others drove him back to the party, where he was left in the driveway and was found on the morning of March 30.

He later died at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Following three days of demonstrations across the Twin Cities sparked by the death of George Floyd, St. Thomas law students have offered to represent protesters.

The Juvenile Defense Clinic students and faculty is available to represent those charged with gross misdemeanors, misdemeanors, petty offenses, or delinquency offenses.

If someone believes they qualify for representation, they can call the St. Thomas Legal Services Clinic at (651)-952-4960. A form is also available here.

All services are free.

St. Paul police reported Friday they have arrested seven people, five of which were booked into Ramsey County Jail. Two juveniles – a 13 year-old and 14 year-old – were released after an initial arrest for burglary at Sun Foods.

RELATED: St. Paul Protests By The Numbers

For the first two days, the majority of the protests took place in Minneapolis, but on Thursday they moved in to St. Paul. Businesses in the Seward, Uptown, and Midway neighborhoods have been impacted by fires and looting. Neighbors have since come together to assist with clean-up in these areas.

STAY INFORMED: Click here to keep up to date with news related to George Floyd

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested four days after George Floyd’s fatal arrest that sparked protests, rioting and outcry across the city and nation, and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced he has been charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.

On Friday, John Harrington, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, announced that Chauvin, 44, of Oakdale, was taken into custody by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who said that Chauvin was arrested in Minneapolis. There was some speculation that he had gone to a home in Florida.

“We have now been able to put together the evidence that we need. Even as late as yesterday afternoon, we did not have all that we needed,” Freeman said, before saying that he was unable to speak to specific pieces of evidence and which one specifically was needed to file charges.

“This is by far the fastest that we’ve ever charged a police officer,” Freeman said.

WHAT THE COMPLAINT SAYS

A criminal complaint released Friday afternoon details the events that unfolded on May 25:

Officers were dispatched to Cup Foods on the report of a man buying merchandise with a counterfeit $20 bill. Shortly after 8 p.m., Officers Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng arrived with their body cameras activate and recording.

The officers learned from store workers that the man, later identified as Floyd, was parked in a car around the corner.

Body camera footage shows the officers approaching the car with Lane on the driver’s side and Kueng on the passenger side. Three people were in the car: Floyd, another man and another woman.

As Lane began speaking with Floyd, he pulled out his gun, pointed it at Floyd and ordered him to show his hands. Floyd then put his hands on the steering wheel and Lane holstered his firearm.

Lane then ordered Floyd out of the car and handcuffed him, but Floyd “actively resisted being handcuffed,” the complaint states. Once handcuffed, however, police said Floyd did not resist and walked with Lane to the sidewalk. Floyd then sat on the ground at Lane’s direction.

The complaint says Lane spoke with Floyd for under two minutes, asking Floyd for his identification and name. He also asked Floyd if he was “on anything” and told Floyd he was going to be arrested for passing counterfeit currency.

Then, Lane and Keung stood Floyd up and attempted to take him to their squad car. Floyd then “stiffened up, fell to the ground and told the officers he was claustrophobic,” the complaint states.

That’s when Officers Chauvin and Tou Thao arrived on the scene in a separate squad car.

After making several attempts to get Floyd in the backseat from the driver’s side, the complaint says Floyd wouldn’t get in and would struggle with the officers by intentionally falling down.

The complaint says that Floyd began saying and repeating he could not breathe while standing outside the car. Chauvin then went to the passenger side and tried to get Floyd in from that side, with Lane and Keung assisting.

Chauvin then pulled Floyd out of the passenger side of the car at 8:19 p.m. and Floyd went to the ground face down while still handcuffed.

While Keung and Lane held Floyd’s back and legs, Chauvin “placed his left knee in the area of Mr. Floyd’s head and neck.” Floyd could be heard repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe”, as well as “mama” and “please.” The officers, however, stayed in their positions.

The officers told Floyd, “You are talking fine”, as he continued to struggle. At one point, Lane asked “should we roll him on his side?” To which Chauvin responded, “No, staying put where we got him,” the complaint states.

Lane then said he was “worried about excited delirium or whatever” to which Chauvin responded, “That’s why we have him on his stomach.” They continued holding their positions.

At 8:24 p.m., Floyd stopped moving. Kueng then checked Floyd’s right wrist for a pulse and said “I couldn’t find one.” The officers continued to hold their positions.

At 8:27 p.m., Chauvin removed his knee from Floyd’s neck as medics arrived. Floyd was taken away in the ambulance. He was pronounced dead at Hennepin Healthcare.

An autopsy report is pending, but the Hennepin County Medical Examiner did release these findings: There were no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation, and that Floyd had underlying health problems, including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease.

According to the medical examiner, “the combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death,” the complaint states.

The complaint determined that Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of that time was after Floyd became unresponsive.

“Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in prone position is inherently dangerous,” the complaint said.

If convicted, Chauvin could face up to 25 years in prison on the murder charge and up to 10 years in prison on the manslaughter charge. No court appearance has been set. Click here for a link to the complaint (.PDF).

MORE DETAILS/CHARGES EXPECTED IN GEORGE FLOYD CASE

Freeman says the other officers involved in the fatal arrest are under investigation and that charges are expected.

“But I’m not going to get into that,” he said. “Today, we’re talking about former officer Chauvin.”

Mayor Jacob Frey called the decision to charge “an essential first step on a longer road toward justice and healing our city.”

“What’s happened in Minneapolis is bigger than any one city and any single event,” Frey said. “For our Black community who have, for centuries, been forced to endure injustice in a world simply unwilling to correct or acknowledge it: I know that whatever hope you feel today is tempered with skepticism and a righteous outrage.”

The FBI, meanwhile, is seeking photos/video from those who witnessed the incident to support the federal civil rights investigation into Floyd’s death. Witnesses with digital media can go here: FBI.gov/MinneapolisTips

Ben Crump, the attorney representing Floyd’s family, released a statement on their behalf, saying that they were expecting first-degree murder charges.

“We call on authorities to revise the charges to reflect the true culpability of this officer,” the statement said.

FAMILY STATEMENT: The family of #GeorgeFloyd and I released the following statement in response to the arrest of Derek Chauvin, the officer videoed kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. #JusticeForFloyd #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/BkSFRlYB6j

— Benjamin Crump, Esq. (@AttorneyCrump) May 29, 2020

A first-degree murder charge carries a mandatory life sentence in Minnesota.

Attorney General William Barr issued a statement Friday afternoon, saying:

The video images of the incident that ended with death of Mr. Floyd, while in custody of Minneapolis police officers, were harrowing to watch and deeply disturbing.  The state prosecutor has been in the process of determining whether any criminal charges are appropriate under state law.  On a separate and parallel track, the Department of Justice, including the FBI, are conducting an independent investigation to determine whether any federal civil rights laws were violated.  Both state and federal officers are working diligently and collaboratively to ensure that any available evidence relevant to these decisions is obtained as quickly as possible.  Under our system, charging decisions must be, and will be, based on the law and facts.  This process is proceeding quickly.  As is the typical practice, the state’s charging decisions will be made first.  I am confident justice will be served.

BREAKING – MPD Officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested in the death of #GeorgeFloyd.
I am at a news conference in Minneapolis City Hall with black leaders in Minnesota and friends of George Floyd. They found out the news in the moment and this is their response. #WCCO pic.twitter.com/JNOE2zm1IG

— Marielle Mohs (@MarielleMohs) May 29, 2020

Day 2 of a demonstration in front of the Hennepin County Government Center. This crowd heard the charges of #DerekChauvin all together and immediately began chanting “1 down, 3 to go” #GeorgeFloyd #WCCO pic.twitter.com/IatDHQra8v

— Marielle Mohs (@MarielleMohs) May 29, 2020

Chauvin is the former officer in the video seen around the world with his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least five minutes. He’d been with Minneapolis police for 19 years.

Police initially said Floyd was resisting arrest and had a medical incident. However, video obtained by CBS News shows Floyd cooperating with officers, at least in the initial moments of the encounter.

A bystander’s video showed Floyd pleading that he could not breathe as a white officer — identified as Chauvin — knelt on his neck and kept his knee there for several minutes after Floyd stopped moving and became unresponsive.

Related: Medics Worked On ‘Unresponsive, Pulseless’ George Floyd After Mpls. Arrest

All four officers were fired a day after Floyd’s death. As of yet, none of the other three officers have been reported as having been taken into custody.

• Gov. Walz Says Order Must Be Restored As Twin Cities Enters 4th Day Of George Floyd Unrest
• ‘Silence Is Violence’: Minneapolis Protests Spread To Other Cities Across The US
• ‘A Beautiful Spirit:’ George Floyd Made New Life in Minn., But Lost Job Due To Pandemic
• President Trump Calls Mpls. Protesters ‘Thugs’; Doubles Down On ‘When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts’ Message
• ‘Let My Building Burn’: Gandhi Mahal Restaurant Owner Calls For Justice For George Floyd
• ‘There Is No Need To See More Video’: Police Across The Country Speak Out Against George Floyd’s Death
• Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Addresses City In The Middle Of Night Of Violence
• ‘Not Our Officer’: St. Paul PD Says Social Media Post Claiming One Of Its Officers Incited Mpls. Riots Is False
• Donate To Help Rebuild Damaged Small Businesses On Lake Street
• Owner Of Cup Foods, Where Police First Encountered George Floyd, Calls For Justice
• City Of Minneapolis Releases Transcript Of 911 Call On George Floyd

The incident drew comparisons to the case of Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who died in 2014 in New York after being placed in a police chokehold. He also said the words “I can’t breathe” while being arrested. The phrase has become a rallying cry for protests over police brutality. The video circulated widely on social media, sparking protests in Minneapolis and cities across the country.

Related: Minneapolis Burns During 2nd Night Of Protests Over George Floyd’s Death

On both Tuesday and Wednesday, protests began with peaceful demonstrations near where Floyd was pinned to the ground, but violence later broke out near the 3rd Precinct police station. Wednesday evening’s protests involved more than 30 fires, destruction of businesses and looting.

Unrest was more widespread Thursday night, with destruction spreading to St. Paul, where more than 170 businesses were damaged. In Minneapolis, rioters burned the 3rd Precinct police station.

Earlier Friday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the looting and arson must come to an end so that state can address the problems that led to Floyd’s death.

“We cannot have the looting and recklessness that went on,” he said. “It’s time for us to clean our streets.”

At that same press conference, Harrington, the commissioner of public safety, called Floyd’s death a murder.

“That’s what it looked like to me,” he said. “I’ll call it as I see it.”

Floyd’s death is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI in Minneapolis and the Department of Justice Civil Rights division.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Three Minnesota men face charges of rioting after police allegedly caught them driving in a plateless car with firearms during the May 31 unrest in Minneapolis.

On Tuesday, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office identified the men as 22-year-old Augustine Livingstone of Ramsey, 24-year-old Junior Smith of Rochester and 29-year-old Peter Shin of St. Paul. All three face one felony count of second-degree riot with a dangerous weapon.

According to the criminal complaint, Minneapolis police officers were responding to reports of looting and possession of a firearm in the area of Pillsbury Avenue and Lake Street at around 12:50 a.m. on May 31. A curfew was in effect.

While officers patrolled the streets, they observed a dark Mercedes sedan with no visible license plate driving down Lake Street at a high rate of speed. Taking evasive actions, the police officers ordered the car to stop with guns drawn and the vehicle halted, the complaint said.

RELATED: Read the latest news on unrest following George Floyd’s death.

All four men inside the vehicle were ordered to get out. Livingstone was driving, Smith was in the front passenger seat, and Shin was in the backseat with an additional occupant identified as N.H. in the complaint.

Police say Smith was carrying a loaded pistol in his waistband and had a backpack containing a hammer and spray paint. Shin allegedly had a backpack containing a firearm and an electric grinding tool.

According to the complaint, none of the men lived in the vicinity or provided a valid reason to be in the area after curfew. All three Minnesota men told police where they lived. The unidentified male, who has not been charged, said he lived in Portland, Oregon and came to see the protests.

If the men are all convicted, they could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

More than 480 people were arrested in the Twin Cities over the weekend. Public safety officials did not specify how many of the weekend arrests were of people violating curfew, rather than riot, looting or arson.

Also not specified was how many of those arrested were out of state, as leaders over the weekend told reporters that those responsible for much of the chaos last week were thought to be outside agitators. Leaders later walked those statements back after early analysis showed that most of the people arrested were from Minnesota.

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• Family Demands Charges Against 4 Officers In Floyd’s Death
• Fmr. President Barack Obama To Address George Floyd’s Death In Online Town Hall Meeting
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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Three former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd made their first court appearance Thursday afternoon.

Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao appeared in a Hennepin County courtroom, where they were granted $1 million in bail, or $750,000 with conditions.

They face aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder charges, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

During their appearance, they were also ordered not to work again in security or law enforcement, to surrender their gun, and never have any contact with the victim’s family.

All three turned themselves in once their warrants were issued.

Courtroom sketch of Thao’s first court appearance, June 4. (Credit: CBS)

Thao appeared in the courtroom first, wearing an orange prison uniform and a mask. Though his lawyer originally argued for a $200,000 bail, the Judge Paul Scoggin said he was “hard pressed to come up with any comparison” to other cases to determine bail and denied the request.

Kueng appeared next, where his lawyer Thomas Plunkett argued that George Floyd’s death occurred during Kueng’s third shift as a police officer. He also asked for leniency and a bail of $200,000 without conditions, but was rejected.

A wide shot of J. Alexander Kueng’s first court appearance and Judge Paul Scoggin. (Credit: Cedric Hohnstadt)

Lane walked into the courtroom last. Throughout his appearance, his attorney Earl Gray argued that the case against the ex-officer was weak.

According to Gray, Lane had asked Derek Chauvin – the officer who kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck – if Floyd should be rolled over. He also said Lane had tried CPR on Floyd in the ambulance. “Where is the willful intent?” Gray asked.

Gray also repeatedly said that Lane had only been a police officer for four days, even though previous statements released by the Minneapolis Police Department said Lane was hired in February 2019. 

The defense also said that Floyd “flew out of the squad car” and “resisted.” However, in a report released by the New York Times, a witness who was in the car with Floyd at the time claims that he was “trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting.”

Lane’s attorney said he plans to file a probable cause hearing to challenge the evidence.

Thomas Lane appears in court, June 4. (Credit: Cedric Hohnstadt)

The next court appearance for all three officers is scheduled for June 29.

As seen in the widely-circulated video of Floyd’s death, Lane and Kueng helped pin Floyd to the ground, while Tou Thao stood watch nearby. Chauvin, who was charged and arrested Friday, can be seen pinning Floyd’s neck to the ground for over eight minutes.

The three were charged Wednesday afternoon, over a week after Floyd’s death.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also announced Wednesday afternoon that Chauvin’s murder charges have been upgraded to include second-degree unintentional murder. He still faces the original third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges.

Chauvin is scheduled for his first court appearance on Monday.

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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minneapolis man has been charged with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide in the death of a Coon Rapids man.

Abdullahi Ahmed Mohamed, 22, has also been charged with two counts of criminal vehicular operation for the high-speed collision that injured another driver, and for leaving the scene of the collision.

The charges stem from an incident on the morning of June 8.

According to the criminal complaint, the crash happened around 5:20 a.m. after a vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Lowry Avenue and Marshall Street Northeast.

RELATED: 1 Dead, 3 Hurt Following Overnight Crash In Northeast Minneapolis

When officers arrived they saw a multi-vehicle crash with a Chevy Tahoe “completely engulfed in flames.” The driver, identified as 35-year-old David Gene Olson, was trapped inside and died on-site.

Witnesses state that they saw Mohamed’s silver Honda Accord speeding on Lowry Avenue Northeast, run a red light and smash into the victim’s Chevy Tahoe, the complaint says. Both the Tahoe and Accord then struck a Honda Odyssey. Court documents say the victim in the Odyssey sought medicial attention for abdominal pain.

According to the criminal complaint, a blood trail from Mohamed’s Accord led police to the suspect. Officials say Mohamed suffered multiple injuries and told officers that he was not in any of the vehicles. Later, he told authorities that he was a passenger.

Officials say two other passengers in the Accord were also injured. Both men claimed to have no knowledge of who else was in the car. Inside the vehicle, police found an open bottle of Hennessy Cognac, a marijuana “blunt,” a tightly-rolled dollar bill commonly used for “snorting” narcotics and an unlabeled pill bottle with multiple pills inside.

Traffic video of the crash shows Mohamed running a red light and speeding into the intersection where he hit the Tahoe which immediately started on fire.

There is currently a warrant out for Mohamed’s arrest.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 27-year-old teacher for the Hibbing School District has been accused of sending multiple shapchats – containing nude videos – to children.

Jordan Kochevar, a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, has been charged on four counts of distributing material that relates to or describes sexual conduct to a child via electronic communication.

According to the complaint, an officer at the Hibbing Police Department received a voice mail on June 20 regarding a video sent to a 10-year-old child.

The video shows a caucasian male in complete frontal nudity from the chin downward.

Later, an investigator saw another video from the same account of a bare-chested man lowering a camera to his boxer shorts. He then lowered his boxer shorts and showed his bare penis.

As the investigation continued, officials learned the images were sent to four children; one 14-year-old and three 15-year-olds.

The investigator later met with Kochevar, who said he was intoxicated on June 15, when he sent the inappropriate messages to the four children.

If convicted, Kochevar could face a maximum of 12 years in jail or a $20,000 fine.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A southern Minnesota woman convicted of killing a woman in Florida to assume her identity pleaded not guilty before a judge in her home state Tuesday in her husband’s 2018 slaying.

Lois Riess, 58, is charged with first- and second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of her husband David in their Blooming Prairie home in March 2018, as well as theft in the forging of $11,000 in her husband’s checks. She appeared virtually in a brief hearing before a Dodge County judge Tuesday from Steele County Detention Center in Owatonna with her attorney Lauri Traub and pleaded not guilty.

Dubbed the “fugitive grandma” after drawing nationwide attention while on the run from authorities, Riess fled to Fort Myers Beach, Florida where she met Pamela Hutchinson, who shared a similar appearance. She later fatally shot Hutchinson and assumed her identity before going to Texas, where she was arrested a month later in South Padre Island.

Riess was convicted of first-degree murder in Hutchinson’s killing in December and received a life sentence. Extradition paperwork was filed in March to clear the way for her return to Minnesota.

No further hearings have been scheduled. Riess remains in the Steele County jail.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minneapolis man is facing charges after allegedly sexually assaulting his girlfriend in two separate incidents, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Wednesday.

Jonathan Taylor, 40, has been charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of domestic assault for a May 22 incident, as well as one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct for a June 27 incident.

According to the criminal complaint, Brooklyn Center Police responded to a domestic incident at Super 8 Motel on May 22 where they met Taylor’s 31-year-old girlfriend outside.

The victim told police that she was assaulted earlier that morning, approximately around 3:30 a.m., after Taylor became angry thinking she was hiding heroin from him. Taylor searched the room for drugs and proceeded to sexually assault her, the complaint says.

The victim eventually crawled out and fell asleep on the bed. Shortly after, Taylor woke the victim and began arguing with her and proceeded to choke her.  Officials say the victim sustained various injuries due to the assault.

On June 27, Minneapolis Police responded to Powderhorn Park where they spoke with Taylor’s girlfriend, the same victim from the May 22 incident.

The victim told police that she was sleeping alone in her tent when she was awakened by someone groping her. That’s when she recognized Taylor and noticed he had her knife, which he was pointing at her.

According to the criminal complaint, the victim screamed and fled the tent. Taylor was found a short distance from the area with the victim’s knife in his pocket.

If convicted on all charges, Taylor could face us to 43 years in prison. His next scheduled court appearance for both charges is slated for August 10.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minneapolis woman has been charged in connection to a recent shooting in a Bloomington hotel.

Trimeanna Williams, 39, was charged with one count of aiding an offender after the fact and another count of aiding an offender to avoid arrest. She will make her first court appearance Tuesday.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 12 at 11:51 a.m., a housekeeper at LaQuinta Hotel in Bloomington found a woman lying on the floor, dead. She was later identified as 39-year-old Jennifer Swaggert, who died of a single gunshot to the face.

The room had been rented from July 9 to July 12; police found a number of personal objects, including partially full alcoholic beverages and two iPhones left behind in the room.

On July 13, Williams called the hotel asking if she could retrieve her belongings. Hotel management then contacted the police, who spoke to Williams.

She was in the room with her “best friend” Swaggert on the night of July 11 through the early morning of July 12, she said. In an interview with officers, she said she had a lot of liquor that night, and invited her 17-year-old son to join her. He arrived with three friends and carried a handgun in his pocket. Williams admitted to taking the gun outside to the hotel parking lot and firing it once.

Later, a 16-year-old friend said the two adults argued; Williams wanted Swaggert to pay for her storage unit. The 17-year-old son tried to intervene, and pointed the gun at Swaggert.

Williams’ 12-year-old son later told police that Swaggert asked “Are you going to shoot me?” Williams told her older son not to shoot, but the 12-year-old said he turned his head and heard a “boom.” He knew she was dead because there was blood on the wall, he said.

According to the complaint, Williams then told everyone in the room to leave. They went to a nearby gas station, where they called a Lyft. They eventually ended up at Powderhorn Park, where the older son shot the gun twice in the air. Williams’ son and his friends then walked to the lake, where they disposed of the gun.

Officers confirmed Williams had a storage unit and owed approximately $270 in late rent. On the morning of her death, Swaggert went to the storage facility and spoke to the manager, saying she would pay Williams’ overdue bill. However, after some discussion, she changed her mind and left without paying.

If convicted, Williams could face four and a half years in prison.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A man has been charged after he allegedly shot his girlfriend outside a Days Inn in Bloomington.

Jacob McPheeters is charged with one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, and one count of possession of a firearm.

According to the criminal complaint, on July 24, Bloomington police officers responded to a shooting at 3:15 a.m. outside of the Days Inn Hotel on Normandale Boulevard.

Officers met with a hotel employee who said he was outside the hotel when he heard a gunshot coming from the north end of the parking lot. He said he saw several people gathered around a camper. Some people were supposedly yelling, and appeared as if one of them had been shot because the witness said she was leaning on another person.

Officers then learned a woman had been brought to the Fairview Southdale Hospital emergency room because of a gunshot wound. They saw two very large holes in her upper torso that looked to be an entry wound and an exit wound.

The victim said she had been shot by her boyfriend, 28-year-old Jacob McPheeters. They had gotten into an argument outside the Days Inn, where he allegedly shot her. The woman was transported to the ICU at Hennepin County Medical Center.

Officers then spoke with two witnesses: a boyfriend and girlfriend who were staying in the camper. They were friends with McPheeters and his girlfriend. That night, they said the two had come to their camper, already in the middle of an argument. McPheeters said he was going to prison and he didn’t trust his girlfriend. McPheeters already had pending drug charges in Wisconsin.

According to the witnesses, McPheeters went over to the camper holding a semi-automatic handgun. He started grabbing his girlfriend and tried to drag her out of the camper. At one point, he put the gun in his pocket and started choking her; one of the witnesses took the opportunity to take the gun from him and put it in her car.

McPheeters then went to his car and came back with a revolver. His girlfriend was standing outside the camper with the witnesses. The witnesses said he shot her at “point blank” range. He left in his car with his girlfriend, and the witnesses believe he fled to Wisconsin. They also thought McPheeters had pipe bombs in his car.

According to documents, investigators used McPheeters’ phone to find him later that morning. After he was arrested, officers found a semi-automatic handgun and a .44 caliber revolver handgun inside the car. They also found three pipe bombs in the car.

McPheeters had several previous felony convictions, including a third-degree controlled substance offense from February 2019.

If convicted, McPheeters could face up to 65 years in prison.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – A man is charged in Ramsey County with murder and manslaughter after authorities say a woman he met on a dating app overdosed on a drug he gave her.

The Ramsey County medical examiner determined 43-year-old Thea Renae Toles died of toxicity caused by a narcotic commonly known as a “date rape” drug. A criminal complaint says police responded to Edward Zappa’s Mounds View home on Nov. 29 after he called 911 to report that the woman wasn’t breathing. Toles was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say they found texts between Zappa and others indicating that Zappa used the drug and provided it to others.

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors announced charges Wednesday against three men accused of threatening and intimidating women who have accused R&B singer R. Kelly of abuse, including one man suspected of setting fire to a vehicle in Florida.

A longtime friend of the indicted singer offered to pay a victim $500,000 to keep her from cooperating in Kelly’s prosecution, authorities said, while a manager and adviser of Kelly threatened to release sexually explicit photographs of a woman who sued Kelly.

A Kelly defense attorney said he had “no involvement whatsoever” in any attempt to silence witnesses.

“He hasn’t attempted to intimidate anyone, or encouraged anyone else to do so,” attorney Steve Greenberg said on Twitter.

The Grammy-award winning musician has pleaded not guilty to dozens of state and federal sexual misconduct charges in Illinois, Minnesota and New York.

The charges range from sexual assault to heading a racketeering scheme aimed at supplying Kelly with girls. Kelly also is accused of having unprotected sex with a minor in 2015 without disclosing he had herpes.

Prosecutors described a third man accused of intimidating witnesses as being related to a former Kelly publicist. They said Michael Williams, 37, of Valdosta, Georgia, traveled to Florida in June and set fire to an SUV parked outside a residence where one of Kelly’s victims was staying.

Williams also conducted Internet searches for “the detonation properties of fertilizer and diesel fuel, witness intimidation and witness tampering and countries that do not have extradition with the United States,” authorities said in a news release.

A message was sent to Williams’ attorney seeking comment.

“The men charged today allegedly have shown that there is no line they will not cross to help Kelly avoid the consequences of his alleged crimes — even if it means re-victimizing his accusers,” Peter Fitzhugh, special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in New York, said in a statement.

Also charged were two Illinois men with ties to Kelly. His longtime friend, Richard Arline Jr., 31, is accused of offering to pay off a woman he believed had “too much” incriminating information against Kelly.

Authorities said they set up a wiretap and recorded a call in which Arline claimed he had spoken with Kelly behind bars during a three-way call.

Donnell Russell, 45, of Chicago, is charged with harassing a Kelly victim and her mother after the unidentified woman filed a lawsuit against Kelly. Authorities said Russell, a manager and adviser to Kelly, sent a letter to the woman’s lawyer with cropped nude photographs of her and later sent her a text warning her: “Pull the plug or you will be exposed.”

It was not immediately clear whether Russell and Arline had attorneys who could comment on the charges.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO / AP) — A Brooklyn Park woman is facing murder charges in the death of her eight-year-old son, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Tasha Tennin, 36, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of first-degree murder and unintentional second-degree murder in her child’s 2018 death.

When originally charged in September 2019 for the death of her son, Tennin faced two counts of second-degree manslaughter, one for endangerment of a child and the other for culpable negligence.

According to the criminal complaint, Tennin called 911 on the morning of Feb. 1, 2018, to report her son was unresponsive. First responders noted his skin was “ice cold,” but he was not frozen. He had urinated in his pants and first responders saw a puddle of frozen liquid in the garage.

Tennin told police her son had been sick since Jan. 31, but school officials said he seemed healthy. She later denied that the boy was locked in the garage. When police returned with a search warrant days later, the frozen liquid in the garage was gone.

After several months, the boy’s siblings shared information with a foster parent, and one sibling said Tennin locked the boy in the garage and brought him inside the next morning.

Tennin was arrested on Aug. 21. The State asked for her bail to be set at $2 million.

Tennin is expected to make her first court appearance following the indictment on Aug. 24.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Prosecutors charged a St. Paul man on Friday with leading a state trooper on a high-speed chase earlier this month.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that 25-year-old Daivonn Antonio Thomas Martinez faces one count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, a felony.

According to the charge, a state trooper spotted Martinez weaving through traffic on motorcycle at 115 mph on Interstate 35E on Aug. 13. The trooper gave chase, reaching a speed of 100 mph at one point.

The chase ended when Martinez drove into a ditch, hit a sign and was thrown from the motorcycle. He was taken to a hospital but left wearing only a hospital gown and hasn’t been taken back into custody.

He was issued a summons to appear for his first court date on Sept. 23.

(© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Three people, including a mother, have been charged in connection to the death of a 2-year-old child who was shot by his 3-year-old brother.

The incident happened on Aug. 13 in Brooklyn Park; officers were dispatched to the apartment on the call of a shooting. When they arrived, they found the child with a gunshot through his abdomen.

O’Sheona Hodges has been charged with second-degree murder, while Sherrillyn Mosley and Keyshawn Cosey-Gray face charges for aiding an offender.

MORE: Boy 2, Who Died After Brooklyn Park Apartment Shooting Was Shot By Brother, 3

All three – the mother Hodges, the grandmother Mosley, and Hodges’ boyfriend Cosey-Gray – were in the apartment at the time.

According to the criminal complaint, all said they had woken up when they heard a gunshot, saying a man they knew who went by the name “BD” had been in the apartment and left. They never provided the man’s full name, but described him and later provided a photo of him. They said he must have been involved with the shooting.

However, investigators spoke to the 3-year-old brother, who said the gun involved belonged to Hodges.

Officers later searched the apartment and found a paper bag that contained an extended handgun magazine inside. They then also found another bag with two boxes of 9mm ammunition. Neither of the boxes was full. Officers then found a spent 9mm round in the bottom of the bag, and found a 9mm round with an FC on it. They then found a box on the top shelf of a closet with a Taurus 9mm G2c handgun.

Later, officers found social media posts by Hodges that indicated she owned a gun, which she had previously denied to officers. After reviewing her cell phone conversations with Cosey-Gray, investigators found a text which said: “Baby I pray they don’t find it.” Cosey-Gray responded, “Me too baby stay with the same story bd did it.”

Officers then arrested all three. Mosley later admitted she lied to the officers during the first interview. She said there was never a “BD” and that after the baby was shot, Hodges hid the gun.

Hodges also later said in a statement that she had lied previously. After she heard the gunshot, she found her child on the ground, wounded, with her three-year-old son standing near him. The gun was nearby, on the ground.

She said the gun had been on the apartment for only two days, and said it was stored on the top shelf of a hall closet.

If convicted, Hodges could face up to 10 years, with Mosley and Cosey-Gray facing a maximum of 5 years in prison.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Law enforcement is ready for any violence Friday night as the curfews in the Twin Cities have been lifted.

The same visible presence as Thursday though is not expected.

Some people arrested during Wednesday night’s looting were released Friday, met by advocates who greeted them with snacks and a number to call for legal help.

Andrew Walker says he was picked up that night for stealing from a Walgreens.

“There was commotion, people running everywhere, police everywhere,” he said. “I started looting with everybody else.”

Walker says he wasn’t charged, but he was found to be in violation of probation for a previous crime.

“I feel blessed to be out,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to get out of jail, but I’m standing here right now.”

Sixteen people were charged in connection to the unrest, including three men who police say burglarized The Saloon near 9th and Hennepin.

The damaged bar was up and running Friday.

“We were able to repair and replace almost everything right away,” said Bobby Palmer, an assistant manager at The Saloon. “It’s always about our community. We had an army of people who showed up right at 8 a.m. in the morning helping to clean up and get us set up.”

Around 100 people were arrested Thursday for breaking the curfew, but the presence of National Guard played a part in preventing violence.

The MAD DADS outreach group also made their presence known, helping people get on buses to go home as well as breaking up fights.

They were out again Friday.

“There’s mixed emotions right now with everybody, and MAD DADS is a very important piece to this puzzle being a buffer to our public and the police,” said Coy Lehn, a member of the group.

The National Guard remains mobilized Friday as well.

On Wednesday, there were 132 people arrested – with more charges expected beyond the 16 reported so far.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Prosecutors have charged a man with hurting a Minneapolis police officer during the riots at the end of August.

Brayshaun Lamar Gibson, 28, has been charged with second degree assault, third degree assault, rioting while armed with a dangerous weapon, and burglary.

According to the criminal complaint, a Minneapolis police sergeant was getting to his squad car on the 600 block of Nicolett Mall when Gibson threw a 15-pound metal garbage can lid at him. The officer was struck in the head and fell to the ground, unconscious.

The officer was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for possible spinal damage.

Officials obtained surveillance video of the night, which showed Gibson fleeing the scene and putting on a black jacket before entering a department store through a broken window. According to the complaint, the video shows Gibson taking property from the store and getting into a car which was parked near 6th Street and 1st Avenue.

The vehicle had been involved in a recent burglary; the officer later noted he had a connection to Gibson involving that case.

Officers were able to identify and find Gibson, who said the car was his and he was driving in downtown Minneapolis the night of Aug. 26. He said he went downtown to eat dinner. However, he later said he became angry over misinformation about officers shooting someone downtown, only to later learn it was a suicide.

Gibson said he regretted being downtown and getting involved in the “chaos,” according to the complaint.

After a search warrant was issued, officers found clothing with security tags consistent with the department store products.

The officer has been released from the hospital but continues to receive therapy and ongoing treatment.

If convicted, Gibson could serve 25 years in prison.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Twin Cities photographer has been charged with sexually assaulting three women.

On Tuesday, 28-year old Den Zell James Gilliard of Minneapolis was charged with two counts of first degree criminal sexual misconduct, along with third degree sexual misconduct, false imprisonment, and domestic assault.

The criminal complaint alleges Gilliard repeatedly sexually and physically assaulted a woman between April of 2016 and July of 2017. They met when she contacted Gilliard because she wanted him to take her picture. Afterwards, the two entered into a relationship.

She said Gilliard pressured her into having sex early into the relationship, and at one point even used a 35mm camera to take nude photographs of her without her consent. Later on, he used these pictures to “intimidate and blackmail” her. Gilliard also removed the interior doorknobs in the house so that she could not leave without his approval.

During the course of their relationship, she reported Gilliard forcibly raped her between 10 and 20 times.

If convicted of the charges, Gilliard could face up to 78 years in prison.

This is not the first time Gilliard has been accused of such behavior. In the past six months, he has been charged with sexually assaulting two other women, and faces two additional cases of first-degree criminal sexual misconduct, two counts of third degree sexual misconduct, two counts of false imprisonment, and two counts of domestic assault.

The sexual assaults for the two women overlap slightly; one reported being assaulted between late 2018 and early 2019, while the other said she had been raped between February 2018 and September 2019.

In total, Gilliard is accused of sexually assaulting all three of the women between 50 and 70 times. He also is would threaten to kill the victims and sometimes their families.

On Feb. 14, 2020, officers executed a search warrant at Gilliard’s house. During the search, they found several interior doorknobs had been removed. They also recovered some of his electronics.