A Fridley man has been federally charged in connection with firing shots from an AR-style rifle just after midnight on New Year’s Day in Minneapolis, one of which struck an 11-year-old girl in the face as she looked out her bedroom window.
James William Turner Jr., 44, was charged in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis this week with possession of ammunition as a felon after prosecutors say a neighbor’s doorbell camera showed him firing several rounds outside the girl’s home in the 2300 block of Bryant Avenue on the city’s north side.
The girl, La’neria Wilson, underwent surgery to remove bullet fragments from her face on Jan. 3, two days before she turned 12, according to initial charges filed Jan. 4 in Hennepin County District Court.
She was one of two children hurt by gunfire that night: A 10-year-old boy was injured when someone fired gunshots at a St. Paul home shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve. No one has been arrested in that shooting, police said Tuesday.
Advertisement
Turner appeared before a federal judge Tuesday and remained jailed ahead of a detention hearing and preliminary examination set for Friday.
According to state and federal court documents:
Minneapolis police officers received a report of a shooting at the home shortly after midnight on Jan. 1. The girl’s mother, Shenedra Ross, said shots had been fired outside the home and a round had struck her daughter in the face.
The girl was stable and responsive and was able to tell officers that she was sitting in her second-story bedroom when she heard gunshots outside around midnight. She went to her window to look when a round came through the window and hit her in the face.
Officers found eight live cartridges and 24 discharged cartridge casings throughout the boulevard, sidewalk and yard. They collected neighbors’ surveillance videos and Snapchat videos.
Advertisement
A Snapchat video taken before the shooting showed Turner outside, near the girl’s home, arguing with an unknown person before the camera turned to show an AR-style rifle lying across the driver’s seat of a vehicle.
Doorbell surveillance footage showed Turner fire multiple rounds in the direction of the girl’s bedroom window, charges say.
James William Turner (Courtesy of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)
In an interview with Minneapolis police, Turner initially denied shooting a gun. However, after being told what the videos showed, he said he shot the gun into the ground.
Turner is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of a 2019 conviction of domestic assault by strangulation in Ramsey County and a 2023 second-degree assault conviction in Anoka County.
In both cases, Turner received stayed prison sentences and was put on probation.
This week’s Fab Five photo display includes highlights from Minneapolis South’s 88-84 boys basketball victory over Minneapolis North on Wednesday, December 11.
The photos include two South players who led them with 22 points each (DeAmontre Scott and Eugene Brown), the player who scored 22 points to lead North (JMarion Sanders), North’s point guard who scored 14 points (Allen Hill), and a former Marshall University High School and Augsburg University great officiating the game (Ronnie Henderson).
Dr. Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader comments to mcdeezy05@gmail.com.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minneapolis Police Department is asking for the public’s help as they search for a vulnerable teen reported missing on Thursday.
Advertisement
Missing teen in Minneapolis
What we know: The Minneapolis Police Department issued an alert on Thursday evening for 16-year-old Ashton Ferraro who went missing in the afternoon hours.
Police say he was last seen in the area of Hennepin Avenue East and Central Avenue Northeast around 1 p.m.
Ashton is described as a thin, 5’8″ tall, with hazel eyes and brown hair. He was wearing a blue puffy Hilfiger jacket with a white stripe, a black hoodie, black pants, and black shoes.
Advertisement
The backstory: Police say Ashton doesn’t live in Minneapolis but was in the city with his family when he jumped from their vehicle and ran away.
Police say Ferraro is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADHD, and is on the autism spectrum.
Advertisement
How to help: Police ask anyone who sees Ferrara to call 911 immediately. Anyone with potential information on his whereabouts can call non-emergency dispatch at 612-348-2345, email policetips@minneapolismn.gov. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crimestoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.CrimeStoppersMN.org.
MINNEAPOLIS — A 38-year-old Minneapolis woman is accused of speeding through multiple red lights before causing a crash at Emerson Avenue North and 26th Avenue North that left two people dead and two injured.
Teniki Steward, 38, faces two counts of criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation. If convicted, she faces up 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The crash killed Esther Jean Fulks and Rose Elaine Reece.
“Our office has been in close communication with the Minneapolis Police Department regarding this case, which was submitted to our office on Thursday and charged Friday,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said.
Advertisement
“This was another completely avoidable incident of a car being driven irresponsibly with disastrous consequences. Our thoughts are with the surviving victims and with the families of the two members of our community who were killed.”
On Dec. 16, Minneapolis police responded to a crash at the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and 26th Avenue North.
Prosecutors said Steward was driving a Buick Enclave at a high rate of speed when she ran a red light at Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North, nearly causing a collision.
Steward continued driving northbound on Emerson Avenue North at high speed, according to authorities.
As she approached 26th Avenue North, the traffic light for northbound traffic was red. Despite this, Steward entered the intersection at high speed and struck a Ford Explorer traveling eastbound, which was lawfully entering the intersection on a green light, authorities said.
Advertisement
The collision killed both individuals in the Ford Explorer. The force of the impact caused the Explorer to hit a pedestrian on the sidewalk, resulting in a third victim.
The passenger in the Buick Enclave also suffered injuries in the crash
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24924653/236780_Google_AntiTrust_Trial_Custom_Art_CVirginia__0003_1.png "Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
