MINNEAPOLIS — An alleged teen gunman is being charged as an adult as of Monday for the mass shooting that occurred in August 2023 at a punk show in Minneapolis.
The shooting killed local musician August Golden and injured six other attendees at "Nudieland," a backyard concert venue attended by members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Prosecutors accused Dominic James Burris, who turned 18 just six months ago, of one count of second-degree murder and six counts of assault while using a firearm. A second gunman turned 18 in May, but he has not been charged as an adult.
According to the charges, witnesses say that the suspects "hit" on two people at the concert. When their advances were turned down, witnesses said the two made "insensitive" comments and derogatory epithets about the sexual orientation of people at the concert.
In the charging documents, prosecutors say these comments suggest the shooting was "motivated by the victim's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression."
A witness said the suspects had a gun at the concert and one said, "We're not going to use the gun or anything, but if need-be, we will."
Soon after, the suspects left the concert and walked north, according to charging documents. The shooting began in that area, witnesses told police, while a band was finishing a performance for a crowd of 30-50 people.
Burris, from Hinckley, is charged with murder with intent, meaning prosecutors will argue he intended to affect the death of a person while shooting, but did not plan the death beforehand.
According to the charging document, investigators matched DNA from a discarded cigarette butt found at the crime scene to the second teen suspect.
KARE 11 will name the second suspect if his case is moved to adult court.