A Crystal man is charged with assault after a victim from out of town was shot in the torso at Mortimer’s in Minneapolis, according to charges that say a witness identified him as one of the occupants of the suspect vehicle.
Cortez Demario Ward, who was 22 at the time of the alleged offense, faces a felony charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in Hennepin County District Court.
According to the complaint, officers responded to a report of a shooting at Mortimer’s in Minneapolis on June 27, 2026. The victim, who was from out of town, had been shot in the torso and appeared to have been an unintended target.
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The complaint says a witness identified one of the occupants of the suspect vehicle as Ward and that officers obtained surveillance video of the vehicle confirming the witness’s statement.
Officers obtained DNA from discharged cartridge casings recovered at the scene and conducted a DNA analysis. According to the complaint, the DNA profile was found to be “greater than 100 billion times more likely” if Ward’s DNA and three unknown, unrelated individuals were the source than if it was four unknown, unrelated individuals.
Ward is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, which alleges he assaulted the victim while using a firearm.
The charge was filed October 1 in Hennepin County District Court. A judge set bail at $50,000, according to the complaint.
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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 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
