Convicted murderer charged in deadly 2016 Minneapolis gang shootout
(FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A convicted murderer already serving time for another fatal shooting was charged Monday for a 2016 shootout in Minneapolis that police say stemmed from a gang confrontation ten years ago.
Deadly 2016 shooting
What we know:
Hennepin County prosecutors charged Stevevontae Dellshawn Champion, 30, with murder in the second degree for the deadly shooting of 25-year-old Derrick Rodgers on the afternoon of May 11, 2016.
Champion is serving time in the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Rush City.
The backstory:
The charges against Champion outline a chaotic scene on Penn Avenue North and Olson Memorial Highway.
Witnesses described a shootout between two cars at the intersection that ended with one man, Champion, chasing the victim down Olson Memorial Highway and gunning him down in the street.
Police found Rodgers dead near Oliver Avenue with multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head.
Local perspective:
Champion was convicted in 2018 in the deadly drive-by shooting of Roderick Evans. In that shooting, Champion pleaded guilty to opening fire on Evans from a minivan near the intersection of 37th Avenue North and Sixth Street on May 11, 2017 – exactly one year after the fatal shooting of Derrick Rodgers.
Champion's current sentence runs until 2039.
Gang shooting
Dig deeper:
According to the complaint, police responded to 911 calls of multiple gunshots along Penn Avenue. At the scene, police found two vehicles, a red Dodge and a black Impala, both of which had been damaged by bullets.
In the street, officers found numerous discharged bullet casings.
Witnesses told police the victim had been in the Dodge and Champion was in the Impala. Witnesses claimed someone in the Dodge fired shots at the Impala first, and people inside the Impala then returned fire. Police say one of the witnesses, a passenger in the Dodge, admitted he fired shots at the home on Penn Avenue where Champion lived. According to the complaint, the witness admitted he was targeting Champion.
After the shooting, another witness told police that Champion admitted to chasing down Rodgers and gunning him down.
Big picture view:
The complaint states that the shooting stemmed from a gang conflict. Police allege that Champion is a known member of "SUB" or "Stick Up Boys" – a street gang that is part of the Lows gang.
While police say the witness who took a shot at Champion is a known member of "YNT" or "Young ‘N Thuggin’ – a street gang that is affiliated with the Highs.
The complaint explains that Highs and Lows are rival street gangs that have been feuding on Minneapolis' north side for more than 20 years. Their territory is divided by Broadway, which often becomes a hotspot for clashes between gang members.
In recent years, federal authorities have launched efforts to crack down on Minneapolis street gangs like the Highs and Lows.