Man Charged in Maple Grove Benihana Shooting
BY MN CRIME STAFF
Charges have been filed against a Brooklyn Park man accused of shooting another man inside a Maple Grove Benihana restaurant last month.
Prosecutors allege 31-year-old Deontae Creshaun Allen Coney committed second-degree assault involving a dangerous weapon in connection with the Nov. 14 shooting inside Benihana, 11840 Fountains Way.
Coney was arrested without incident on Tuesday, Dec. 23 in Inver Grove Heights and is being held in the Hennepin County Jail on $250,000 bail.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were called to the restaurant at about 4:32 p.m. after reports that a man had shot another man inside. Both the shooter and the victim left the area in separate vehicles before officers arrived, while numerous bystanders, including families with children, remained inside following what investigators described as a traumatic event.
Investigators say the gunman and the victim had been seated in different areas of the restaurant before a hostile verbal encounter near the entryway separating the dining and bar areas. During the exchange, the victim pushed the gunman away. The gunman approached again, briefly disengaged, then returned carrying a distinctive black, rectangular cross-body bag.
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Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows the gunman raising his right arm toward the victim at 4:31:48 p.m. The victim immediately collapsed to the floor as nearby patrons recoiled and took cover in a manner consistent with hearing gunfire. The gunman stood over the victim but did not render aid or show concern, then walked back and forth through the restaurant before exiting. He left with an adult woman, four children and another adult male who had accompanied him earlier, departing in a white Jeep Wagoneer, the court documents say.
The victim was transported to a hospital by a private party and treated for a gunshot wound that entered his left groin and exited his right buttock. He was later released.
Officers recovered a discharged 9mm cartridge casing, a fired bullet, surveillance video and other items from the scene for forensic testing.
Investigators linked Coney through social media and other sources to a vehicle registered in the name of the woman who was seen leaving the restaurant. Authorities also learned Coney has multiple young children.
Surveillance footage from an apartment complex in Brooklyn Park captured the suspect vehicle arriving shortly after the shooting. A man matching the gunman’s appearance was seen walking to a single-family home on Zealand Avenue North. The vehicle was later parked inside the attached garage of that residence.
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Investigators executed a search warrant at the home on Nov. 24. Inside, they located paperwork and prescription medication belonging to Coney, along with evidence that school-aged children spent time in the residence. Officers also found several cell phones, a gun case for a Glock firearm and magazines, including one consistent with a 9mm firearm. The Jeep Wagoneer was located in the garage next to another vehicle registered to Coney and forensic testing on seized items is pending.
While searching the property, investigators also found six dogs confined in cages without food, water, light or heat. Several dogs appeared to have injured paws or legs. The animals were seized for their safety and a separate investigation into apparent animal maltreatment is ongoing. Court records state that neither Coney nor anyone acting on his behalf has contacted law enforcement or the animal impound facility regarding the seized property or animals.
Investigators later reviewed preserved surveillance footage from the residence and observed a man matching Coney’s appearance returning on Nov. 17 wearing clothing consistent with what the gunman wore during the shooting and carrying the same distinctive cross-body bag. The last recorded visit to the residence was Nov. 18.
A six-person photo lineup was shown to a witness who had face-to-face interaction with the gunman. The witness identified Coney as the shooter. Investigators also obtained Coney’s social media records and noted that within hours of the shooting he repeatedly searched for the victim, the victim’s girlfriend and several relatives. Authorities noted the victim’s name had not been released publicly and determined the shooting was not random.
The Maple Grove Police Department said multiple agencies assisted with the investigation, including regional task force officers, state agents, local police departments, crime scene investigators and SWAT teams.
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