Minneapolis teenager pleads guilty to shooting innocent bicyclist
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - A drive-by shooting that claimed the life of an innocent bicyclist will likely land a Minneapolis teenager in prison for the next 30 years after he pleaded guilty to murder charges Thursday, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.
19-year-old Marcel Farr also pleaded guilty to assault at his court appearance, two years after the initial incident.
"Mr. Farr will be sentenced to 30 years in prison but his stupidity is hard to comprehend,” Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said. “Once fired, bullets will hit something and on that day, it hit the innocent young bicyclist.”
On a morning bike ride in August 2016, 19-year-old Tabyis Paskins and another young men pedaled past a north Minneapolis house where Farr and some others were gathered outside, according to the criminal complaint. The two men were on their way to help Paskins' grandmother, police said
Though they called out the other bicyclist's name, both men ignored the greeting.
Farr and several others hopped in their car to confront the bikers, alleging that one of the men was involved with a rival gang despite his insistence he was done with "The Pack."
According to the police Farr let off four shots, hitting then-19-year-old Tabyis Paskins of Brooklyn Park in the abdomen. He later died in the hospital.