First Suspect Charged With Minnesota Firefighter’s Murder
Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News) - The man accused of triggering a gunbattle outside a popular Minneapolis nightclub that killed an off-duty firefighter earlier this month was formally charged today in Hennepin County Court.
28-year-old Marquise Trevone Hammonds-Ford has been charged with first-degree riot resulting in the death of a person, possession of a machine gun or machine gun conversion kit, and illegal possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence. The riot charge and the machine gun violation each carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison.
It is alleged that Hammonds-Ford was among the people gathered across the street from a party in the parking lot adjacent to the Cabooze Bar, where a celebration was taking place to mark the anniversary of the founding of a motorcycle club. According to the criminal complaint, the Monticello man pulled out a handgun with an extended magazine and fired it over the heads of the partygoers in the parking lot. The court document alleges he fired a handgun that had been modified into a fully automatic weapon.
The charges state that his alleged volley of gunfire prompted people on both sides of Cedar Avenue to open fire and one of the bullets struck 40-year-old Joseph Johns in the chest. Witnesses reported the off-duty firefighter for the Eagan and Eden Prairie Fire Department's was standing outside the bar directing traffic when the rapid exchange of gunfire erupted.
Earlier police reports on the incident indicated more than 60 spent shell casings from multiple guns were found at the crime scene. The criminal complaint notes that the investigation and other suspects responsible for the firefighter's murder is ongoing.
Following his arraignment today in Hennepin County Court, the conditional bail for Hammonds-Ford was set at $800,000. Court records indicate he has a lengthy criminal history that includes a prior conviction for Threats of Violence that prohibited him from possessing any firearms or ammunition.
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