A Minneapolis man fired a handgun out of a Cadillac Escalade’s sunroof during a chaotic shootout near Nicollet Avenue South and East 19th Street, with multiple shooters exchanging gunfire and one person wounded, according to charges.
Marcel Christopher Gnali, 29, faces charges of aiding and abetting a drive-by shooting toward a person and aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The charges were filed September 4 in Hennepin County District Court.
According to the complaint, Minneapolis police responded to reports of shots fired in the area at about 5:30 p.m. on April 16, 2026. Officers learned of two separate ShotSpotter activations, one for four rounds and another for 20 rounds, near the intersection. Officers arrived to find numerous discharged cartridge casings on both Nicollet Avenue South and 1st Avenue South.
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A witness told police they saw a group gathered in front of a business in the 1800 block of Nicollet, where a fight broke out before gunfire erupted. The witness saw a male stumble and fall in the street, then watched as unknown people transported him away.
Officers later found the victim at Hennepin Healthcare. The victim had a non-life-threatening gunshot wound but refused to cooperate or identify anyone involved. Forensic teams recovered three 5.7x28mm casings from the street, two .45 caliber casings at the intersection of 19th Street East and 1st Avenue South, and a large number of .40 caliber and 9mm casings nearby.
Surveillance video from the area showed a male in a white hoodie (Suspect 1) arguing with a group of six people at the corner. As the dispute escalated, a second male in black (Suspect 2) tried to punch Suspect 1, who then pulled a gun and fired toward the group while running north on Nicollet. The victim was struck and fell.
Suspect 2 ran to a black Cadillac Escalade parked nearby, entered the front passenger seat, and the driver drove one block before stopping. Suspect 2 exited and ran north on 1st Avenue, raising both hands in a shooting stance before leaving the camera’s view. Meanwhile, someone inside the Cadillac raised a handgun out of the sunroof and fired toward 18th Street, matching the location where .45 caliber casings were found.
On April 30, officers stopped the Cadillac and ordered the driver out. Gnali, identified as the front seat passenger, was seen making furtive movements toward the driver’s side floorboard. The driver told officers Gnali is paralyzed and could not exit without help. Officers removed Gnali and found a firearm under the driver’s seat, which matched the .45 caliber casings from the intersection.
They also found .45 caliber ammunition and handicapped driving controls in the vehicle. Gnali is wheelchair bound and requires these controls to operate the car.
In July, police interviewed a witness who confirmed seeing “DeyDey” (identified as Suspect 2) fire shots after exiting the Cadillac and running north on 1st Avenue. The witness also reported seeing the Cadillac’s paralyzed driver fire shots out of the sunroof while parked at the intersection.
Forensic testing on the gun and vehicle is pending.
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 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.
