On April 10, 2026 at approximately 6:44 P.M., officers were called to the report of shots fired at the intersection of Akron Avenue and 147th Street in the City of Rosemount, County of Dakota, State of Minnesota. Officers responded to the location and during an initial search of the area located a spent, silver, 9mm shell casing in the roadway. Officers spoke with Witness 1 by phone who stated that he was driving on 147th Street towards the intersection when he came upon the suspect vehicle stopped at the stop sign.
Witness 1 stated that the suspect vehicle remained at the stop sign for an unusual amount of time rather than proceeding through the intersection. The driver and sole occupant of the suspect vehicle then exited the vehicle, went to the trunk, and produced a black handgun. The suspect then shot at a white SUV that was driving southbound on Akron Avenue through the intersection. Witness 1 stated he believed the suspect shot one or two times from the rear passenger side of the suspect vehicle. Officers spoke with several other bystanders who heard a gunshot and saw the suspect vehicle then turn south on Akron Avenue.
Officers then spoke with Witness 2 who stated that she lived in a nearby apartment complex and saw the incident out of her window. Witness 2 stated that prior to the gunshot she saw the white SUV and the suspect vehicle next to each other and that it appeared the drivers were exchanging words. Witness 2 pointed out a black compact SUV parked in the parking lot of the apartment complex as the suspect vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the police department and searched pursuant to a search warrant, but no ammunition or firearms were located.
Because the suspect vehicle was located in the apartment complex parking lot, officers obtained surveillance video from the complex and the surrounding area that showed the suspect vehicle was being driven by ANTHONY LEE CRUZ ([DOB redacted]). Surveillance video showed CRUZ exit the parking lot and stop in the lane of travel in the roadway. A white SUV then passes CRUZ’s vehicle and CRUZ follows the white SUV before getting out of his vehicle and confronting the driver of the white SUV. The white SUV then drove off while CRUZ re-entered the parking lot.
Officers noted the white SUV could be seen driving back towards the intersection of County Road 42 and Akron Avenue as CRUZ re-entered his vehicle and drove to the intersection of Akron Avenue and 147th Street. CRUZ then exits his vehicle and walks around the trunk to the passenger side as the white SUV drives past the intersection slowly, before it quickly 2 19HA-CR-26-558 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 4/17/2026 accelerates southbound. CRUZ then re-entered his vehicle and followed the white SUV southbound on Akron Avenue.
During their review of the video, officers also observed Witness 1’s vehicle directly behind CRUZ as Witness 1 had stated. Through the surveillance video, officers were able to identify the driver of the white SUV as Victim 1. Victim 1 told officers he was at the apartment complex to drop off his brother and as he was leaving he came upon CRUZ’s vehicle parked in the roadway. CRUZ caught up to Victim 1 and threatened to fight him because CRUZ claimed Victim 1 almost hit his vehicle. Victim 1 stated CRUZ told him “I’ll beat your ass” and “I’ll kill you.” Victim 1 drove off, but shortly after decided to go back and pick up his brother.
