Charges: Woman killed by stray bullet outside The Pourhouse
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - A Brooklyn Center, Minnesota man has been charged with three counts of murder in the shooting death of a 28-year-old woman outside The Pourhouse in downtown Minneapolis in September.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday the assault charges initially filed against Sherman Alexander, 31, have been amended to murder because the woman, identified as Jenna Heilman of Minneapolis, died from the gunshot wound on Saturday.
Around 2 a.m. on Sept. 5, an off-duty Minneapolis police officer working at The Pourhouse heard gun shots from the parking lot on Fifth Street and Hennepin Avenue and saw Alexander shooting toward a group of people, according to the charges. He then saw Alexander run through the lot as he continued shooting.
The officer chased after Alexander and eventually caught him trying to hide in the back seat of a white Subaru.
Alexander was subsequently arrested. A .45 caliber handgun was found on the floor in the back of his car.
The officer spoke with Heilman's boyfriend, who may have been the intended target of the shooting. He and Heilman were inside the bar when someone from Alexander’s group attempted to steal a bottle of alcohol off their table. A physical fight ensued, and the man and Heilman left the bar.
The man said he heard multiple shots as he and Heilman were getting into the car and he saw someone running towards them.
Investigators found a bullet hole in the man’s car and recovered at least 10 discharged shell casings from the parking lot.
A witness told police he saw Alexander pull a gun from his waistband.
Alexander remains in custody.