A man in a pink shirt fired more than a dozen shots from a black sedan in a north Minneapolis alley as officers watched the muzzle flashes light up the night.
Rictavious Javareal Wiggins, of Minneapolis, faces a charge of attempted 2nd-degree murder for shooting at officers in the 3500 block of Penn Avenue North on June 15, according to a complaint filed Wednesday in Hennepin County District Court.
Officers on patrol in the area of Penn Avenue and 35th Street North saw a black sedan pull into the alley behind them. As they drove north, they spotted a man outside the vehicle wearing a pink shirt. The man then fired between 14 and 16 shots, which officers believed were aimed at them. Officers saw the muzzle flashes coming from the black sedan and accelerated out of the alley, waiting nearby for the suspect vehicle to exit.
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After a delay, the black sedan emerged from the alley with only the driver inside. Officers activated their emergency lights and began a pursuit, but the vehicle did not stop. During the chase, officers saw a man in a pink shirt running on foot. Other officers searching the area were told that two people had been seen running east, one of them wearing pink.
Police soon located two individuals, confirming that one wore a pink shirt. Officers identified that person as Rictavious Wiggins. Through their investigation, officers obtained the license plate of the black sedan, a Lincoln MKZ and found the vehicle several blocks away in another alley. Next to the car, officers discovered a plastic covering that had previously been seen on the vehicle’s rear window.
Investigators identified the driver as Allando Isaac Bennett, who was later arrested. Several other people were detained and interviewed. One witness identified Wiggins as the shooter. During his interview, Bennett admitted to driving the black sedan and said he had picked up a gun earlier that day. He claimed that shots were fired at a red Dodge Durango that had been following them, not at officers, but surveillance video from the area did not show a red Durango present at the time.
Officers reviewed multiple surveillance videos from nearby residences. One video showed the officers’ squad car traveling northbound in the alley with the black Lincoln following. Another video captured the sound of a gunshot as the squad passed a residence.
A warrant has been requested for Wiggins due to the seriousness of the offense and public safety concerns. Bennett is currently in custody. A court date for Wiggins has not yet been set.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from gross-misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
