A Minneapolis woman chased two people with a box cutter and handed the weapon to her companion, who then stabbed a man near Chicago Avenue and 28th Street East.
Shawnasee Emonie Johnson, 25, faces two counts of 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the July 12 attack.
According to the criminal complaint, Minneapolis police responded at about 8:55 p.m. to a report of a stabbing in Hennepin County. Officers found a man bleeding from his mouth with blood covering his torso and stab wounds to his left shoulder and back. Remnants of a knife were lodged in his shoulder. He was transported to the hospital for treatment.
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The victim and a woman told officers they had been involved in a verbal altercation and fight with two people they did not know, stemming from a misunderstanding over an overheard conversation. After the scuffle, Johnson began chasing both victims with a box cutter knife. Her companion joined the chase as the victims ran away.
Court records state that Johnson handed the knife to her companion, who then stabbed the male victim multiple times. The female victim fell and injured her knee while fleeing.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows Johnson chasing the female victim with a knife and swinging it at her. The footage also captures Johnson handing the knife to her companion, who is then seen running up to the male victim and assaulting him.
Officers located and detained both Johnson and her companion following the attack.
The charges each allege that Johnson used or threatened to use a dangerous weapon, specifically a box cutter, against both victims, resulting in serious injuries to the male victim and bodily harm to the female victim.
The case was filed Tuesday, July 14, in Hennepin County District Court. A court date 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.
