MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Police Department utilized surveillance camera footage and clips from Snapchat to find the man responsible for shooting an 11-year-old girl in the city, according to charging documents.
James Turner Jr., a 44-year-old Fridley man, was charged Thursday, Jan. 4 with unlawfully possessing a firearm and recklessly discharging a firearm on New Year's Day.
Police were initially called to a residence in the city shortly after midnight on Jan. 1 on reports of a shooting, according to the charging sheet.
Upon arrival, the officers found an 11-year-old girl who had suffered a gunshot wound to the face. The victim was stable enough to tell the officers she heard shots being fired and went to the window to see what was happening. She was hit by a bullet after going to the window. A GoFundMe identified the 11-year-old as Laneria Wilson.
The officers determined the shooting likely came from across the street and were able to collect surveillance videos and Snapchat videos from the scene.
The videos showed a man, later identified as Turner, and his vehicle outside the home.
One of the videos showed Turner firing multiple rounds from his rifle into the ground before having some sort of issue with the gun.
He then walks back to the car as he examines the weapon, according to the document.
Eventually, Turner is seen firing multiple rounds at a "very shallow" angle. The video then shows Turner "play" with the weapon more before firing even more rounds from an even shallower angle before returning to his vehicle.
Turner allegedly initially denied firing a gun in a post-Miranda statement, but after being shown the video evidence, admitted to shooting the gun into the ground.
Turner remains in custody.
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