A man fired multiple shots into a Minneapolis home just after midnight, striking the victim twice as they were inside, prosecutors say.
Frank Manuel Johnson, 22, of Saint Paul, is charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, drive-by shooting toward an occupied building and reckless discharge of a firearm. The charges were filed October 30.
According to the complaint, officers responded at about 12:45 a.m. on October 7 to a home in Minneapolis for a report of a drive-by shooting. The victim was inside the residence and was shot twice. Investigators learned that a former occupant of the home was believed to be the intended target of the shooting.
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The complaint says officers discovered that Frank Manuel Johnson was also a suspect in another drive-by shooting that happened later the same day in north Minneapolis. During the investigation into that case, officers identified a phone number associated with Johnson.
Cell phone data and text messages reviewed by investigators suggested that Johnson had been robbed of drugs and money a few hours before the shootings. The complaint states that after the robbery and the shootings, the phone number linked to Johnson was used to communicate with people believed to be involved in the robbery and who were also targets of the drive-by shootings.
Text messages sent from the phone said Johnson had shot someone the same day, according to the complaint. A vehicle registered to Johnson was seen within a mile of the home shortly after the shooting. Investigators also determined that the phone associated with Johnson was in the area at the time of the shooting.
The charges allege that Johnson fired a gun into an occupied home, struck the victim and recklessly discharged a firearm within city limits.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Woman Accused of Hitting Another Woman With Rock-Filled Sock • Brooklyn Center Man Accused of Assault and Phone Theft • Minneapolis Man Accused of Threatening to Shoot Up Woman’s Home
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.
