Minneapolis, MN

St. Paul murder charge: Minneapolis man shot with kids in car wasn’t intended target

Published

2 days ago

January 3, 2025

St. Paul murder charge: Minneapolis man shot with kids in car wasn’t intended target

A Minneapolis man who was fatally shot near a busy intersection in St. Paul while two young children were in his vehicle was not the intended target, according to charges filed Thursday.

Andre L. Mitchell, 26, was killed in a daytime shooting in November. His 2-month-old child was in the backseat, as was his 5-year-old sister. Mitchell’s little sister later told investigators that the car’s windows broke during the shooting and she covered the baby with her body while shots rang out.

The baby’s carseat was filled with broken window glass and there was a bullet hole in it, but the infant wasn’t harmed.

Officers were called to Aurora Avenue just off Dale Street at 1:35 p.m. on Nov. 22 on a report of a shooting outside an apartment building. Police found Mitchell near a Mazda’s front passenger seat with gunshot wounds to his upper torso. He died as St. Paul Fire Department medics were taking him to Regions Hospital.

A 26-year-old man who’d been in the Mazda with Mitchell said they were waiting to pick up the mother of Mitchell’s child, who was working as a personal care attendant, when a black sport-utility vehicle drove past. The SUV’s rear passenger door opened and the man heard multiple gunshots. There were at least 13 bullet holes in the driver’s side of the Mazda and Mitchell was shot seven times.

The man with Mitchell said neither he nor Mitchell were from the area, and he didn’t know of Mitchell having any enemies.

Earlier confrontation

Officers were originally called to the Aurora Avenue apartment building about an hour before the shooting. A 23-year-old woman reported “that at least five women associated with the father of her child were making threats outside her apartment door,” that one of the women pointed a gun at the door and others had mace and knives, the complaint said.

She said she had let a cousin of her child’s father stay at her apartment, but the cousin became disrespectful and she kicked the cousin out. As a result, she said she’d been threatened.

Neither Mitchell nor the man in the Mazda with him were the father of the woman’s child or his cousin.

Security camera footage showed a Mitsubishi Outlander, which appeared to have five people inside, stopped five feet from the Mazda. Four people fired handguns from the Mitsubishi toward the Mazda, before driving away. Police found the Mitsubishi is owned by a financing company and is associated with Steven Rawls Jr., 25, of Minneapolis, the complaint said.

Rawls is a brother of the 23-year-old woman who reported the initial problem. Phone location records showed Rawls’ phone was in the area of the homicide at the time of the shooting, the complaint said.

A group of people got into the Mitsubishi, driven by Rawls, “and shot up a car full of people not involved in the earlier incident,” killing Mitchell, the complaint said.

Arrested at hospital

Police arrested Rawls on Tuesday after he arrived at Hennepin County Medical Center with a gunshot wound to his hand. He told police he owned the Mitsubishi, but said he loaned it out. He said he did not go to St. Paul on Nov. 22.

When investigators asked Rawls if he recalled his sister having a problem on Nov. 22, he said he never left “Minneapolis that day as he was praying,” the complaint said. “When pressed and told that his statement wasn’t true, Steven Rawls asked for a lawyer and the interview was ended.”

Rawls is charged with aiding and abetting murder and attempted murder. He is due to make his first court appearance in the case Friday; an attorney for him wasn’t listed in the court file Thursday.

The investigation into Mitchell’s homicide is ongoing.

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Minneapolis, MN

Milestone for Kobi Co. as it celebrates 2 years at brick-and-mortar location

Published

3 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Milestone for Kobi Co. as it celebrates 2 years at brick-and-mortar location

MINNEAPOLIS — A young business owner is about to celebrate a milestone at her downtown Minneapolis store. Kobi Gregory will soon mark two years in her brick-and-mortar location downtown, after starting “Kobi Co” during the pandemic.

From the outside of her storefront on S. 9th Street in downtown Minneapolis, you can smell the goodness awaiting you inside.

A space helping people create moments of self-care.

“If you are looking for a little bit of warmth a little bit of love and a lot of vibes we got it here,” said Gregory.

Gregory was a 17-year-old high school student when COVID 19 hit. Forced to live life online, Gregory struggled like many young people did.

“While I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and depression and just new feelings coming about,” said Gregory.

Gregory and her mother, Tasha Harris, had just finished taking a candle making class together.

It inspired them to start a business.

“Working on these candles and Kobi Co really helped me come out of whatever I was in,” said Gregory.

Gregory and Harris began selling their product at local markets and street fairs. Mom quit the corporate job she had for 20 years and began securing partnerships. After three years of working off tabletops, they made this downtown Minneapolis retail spot a reality.

“I would not be able to do it without my mom or without the fact that this whole thing is about loving yourself and taking care of yourself.”

Each candle comes with its own soothing sounds to set the vibe.

“The music was a huge component of my self-care practice which is why we were so excited about adding them to the candles,” said Gregory. “Spotify QR codes and so that’s how we connect our playlist to each and every one of the candles they are all different curated towards each and every theme and scent.”

It’s not just candles. Kobi Co. sells bath bombs, salts and room sprays in their signature scents.

“Champagne scents, floral scents, we love lemon, jasmine all these different scents that we have.”

Mom and daughter, both from born and raised in Minneapolis, have care for community integrated into the foundation of this business.

“Giving back is super important to me,” said Gregory.

Kobi Co offers scholarships to young BIPOC women, and a portion of sales created from the Black Lives Matter collection, goes to families affected by gun violence.

“Just the amount of love and recognition that we’ve received in a short amount of time and that we’ve been in business really blows me and my mom away.”

That hard worked helped land national attention for this local business. Both Essence and Cosmopolitan magazines recognized Kobi Co.

Kobi Co also offers workshops where people can make scents unique to them. Gregory and Harris celebrate two years in the downtown location this spring.

Reg Chapman

Reg Chapman joined WCCO-TV in May of 2009. He came to WCCO from WNBC-TV in New York City where he covered an array of stories for the station including the Coney Island plane crash, the crane collapse on the city’s east side, 50 shots fired at motorist Sean Bell by New York Police, and a lacrosse team assault at Fairfield High School in Connecticut.

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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis shooting on Fremont Avenue North leaves 1 man dead

Published

15 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

Minneapolis shooting on Fremont Avenue North leaves 1 man dead

Minneapolis shooting leaves man dead Friday night

Police are investigating after a man died at the hospital following a shooting Friday night.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A shooting in north Minneapolis left a man dead on Friday night.

Fatal Minneapolis shooting

What we know: Minneapolis police say they responded to the 3200 block of Fremont Avenue North for a ShotSpotter activation around 6:20 p.m.

Officers then found a man with life-threatening gunshot wounds and began CPR until he was taken to the hospital.

Police say the man later died at North Memorial Medical Center.

The shooting is still being investigated, and the victim’s identity is expected to be released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office at a later date.

What they’re saying: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara spoke about the shooting and urged anyone with knowledge of it to speak to law enforcement.

“Our investigators will work tirelessly to try and find answers about what happened to this man for his family,” Chief O’Hara said. “I urge anyone who may know what happened to contact our investigators.”

Authorities are asking anyone with information on the shooting to email policetips@minneapolismn.gov or leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845.

The Source: A news release from the Minneapolis Police Department.

Crime and Public SafetyMinneapolis

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Minneapolis, MN

North Minneapolis shooting leaves 21-year-old man dead

Published

24 hours ago

January 4, 2025

Press Room

North Minneapolis shooting leaves 21-year-old man dead

One man has died after a shooting in north Minneapolis Friday night.

At around 6:20 p.m., officers responded to the 3200 block of Fremont Avenue North, where they found a 21-year-old man with life-threatening gunshot wounds.

Minneapolis police provided medical aid before he was brought to the hospital, where he later died. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the man’s identity at a later time.

Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting. No arrests have been made.

“Our investigators will work tirelessly to try and find answers about what happened to this man for his family,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “I urge anyone who may know what happened to contact our investigators.”

Anyone with information should leave a voicemail at 612-673-5845 or email policetips@minneapolismn.gov.

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