A group of masked suspects opened fire on people gathered outside the Wedge Co-op in uptown Minneapolis in the early morning hours, killing one man and injuring another before fleeing in a waiting Jeep.
Deandre Antiown Depratto Jr., of Minneapolis, faces charges of aiding and abetting 2nd-degree murder and attempted 2nd-degree murder in connection with the June 21 shooting, according to a complaint filed Thursday in Hennepin County District Court.
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation and 911 call at about 1:20 a.m. on June 21 in the parking lot of the Wedge Co-op on Lyndale Avenue South. They found a male victim on the ground with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead. Police later learned that another victim had arrived at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the foot.
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Investigators reviewed surveillance video from multiple sources near the scene. The footage showed a group of five masked suspects, including Depratto, approaching a group that included the victims. At least four suspects pulled out firearms as they neared, and two fired at the group. The victims ran in the opposite direction, but one fell after a short distance.
Officers recovered 16 discharged cartridge casings from the area, and ShotSpotter audio captured three bursts of automatic gunfire and five shots from a semi-automatic handgun. Ballistics confirmed that two separate guns were fired.
Additional video showed the five suspects and a sixth person together at a nearby apartment before the shooting, with the suspects wearing the same clothing but unmasked. The group was also seen getting in and out of a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee, which circled the block and stopped near the scene before the shooting. The five suspects exited the Jeep and walked toward the group, while the sixth remained in the vehicle. After the shooting, the suspects returned to the Jeep and drove away.
Depratto was arrested later inside a vehicle with several other suspects. Police recovered five firearms during the stop, four of which were equipped with auto-sears or “switches.” Cellphone records placed Depratto’s phone in the area about 15 minutes before the shooting. According to the complaint, Depratto was seen on video walking with the group, reaching into a backpack as the others drew guns and fleeing with the group after shots were fired. The charges were filed Thursday.
About This Charge
In Minnesota, homicide charges fall under three degrees: § 609.185 (first-degree murder), § 609.19 (second-degree murder) and § 609.195 (third-degree murder). First-degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence; second-degree convictions are presumptive 12 to 40 years; third-degree up to 25 years. The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission publishes guideline ranges that judges follow except where specific aggravating or mitigating factors are on the record.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Felon Faces Murder Charge After Group Shooting at Wedge Co-op • Modified Machine Gun Used in Group Shooting Outside Wedge Co-op • Minneapolis Man Charged with Aiding Deadly Home Shooting
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.
