3 charged for gang crimes in fatal Mounds Park shooting in St. Paul
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Three men are facing gang-related charges for their involvement in the events that led up to the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man at a barbecue in Indian Mounds Park in St. Paul, Minn. on Sunday.
St. Paul police responded to the park at 10 Mounds Boulevard on a report of a large crowd and possible shooting, according to the charges. Upon arrival, officers encountered what they have previously described as a “chaotic scene” with as many as 300 people gathered in the area.
They found the victim, Bobby Collins of St. Paul, dead at the scene from a gunshot wound that entered the back of his head. One of the suspects told police he did not believe Collins was involved in the commotion before the shooting.
The incident appeared to be gang-related, according to the charges. It reportedly began with an altercation between two groups of people. Rayvion Brooks, 18, of St. Paul, told police he was at the park with his girlfriend to pick up some family members. As they were heading back to his car, several men approached him and attempted to start a fight.
Cell phone video taken by a different witness showed the incident leading up to the shooting. The video showed Prince Williams, 24, of Minneapolis and Rashawn Porter, 18, of St. Paul confronting the woman’s boyfriend. Porter and Brooks were seen squaring off in the streets with their fists raised. Porter had reportedly been trying to fight Brooks for several months.
At one point, several of the men began shooting.
The witness who took the cell phone video identified Williams as one of the shooters. Officers spoke to Williams at the scene. He was crying and told police he was close to Collins, but was uncooperative and refused to give police any additional information.
In a later interview, Williams told police he was at a barbecue in the park with his family when he heard a loud argument. Williams said he heard gunshots as he approached the argument, but did not believe Collins was involved in the commotion before the shooting.
Porter told police he was also close to Collins. He said the two of them were barbecuing in the park with several other people when an altercation occurred. He claimed he stayed away, but said many people were shooting and saw two men shooting at each other.
All three suspects are considered gang members, although they are not all in the same gang, according to the charges.
Williams, Brooks and Porter are accused of committing a crime for the benefit of a gang. Williams and Brooks are also being charged with rioting.
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