Richfield school shooting charges filed

(FOX 9) - Charges have been filed following a shooting at the South Education Center in Richfield that left one dead and three injured Tuesday.

Alfredo Rosario Solis, 19, and Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 18, both of Minneapolis, were charged with three counts of second degree murder each on Friday. 

The two suspects were taken into custody Tuesday night by the Richfield Police Department after a joint effort including the FBI and ATF assisted in a lockdown of the school campus while authorities searched for them. 

Police initially responded to reports of a shooting on the sidewalk outside the South Education Center on Penn Avenue at 12:06 p.m. Tuesday. At the scene police say they found two students that had been shot. Since then a third injured victim has been reported. 

According to the criminal complaints, a short confrontation in the school parking lot led to a victim punching Solis one time. Soon after Valdez-Alvarez started shooting at all three victims, who turned to run towards the building as the defendants fled in their vehicle and continued shooting.

According to a staff witness, she had been in the parking lot when the incident occurred and saw five boys walking on the south side of the school. She described hearing three shots and about 10-20 seconds later she heard the vehicle pull off, then two more shots.

Another witness stated he saw what he believed to be students that were getting ready to fight when one of the defendants pulled a gun out of his pocket and started firing it. The same defendant then got into the passenger seat of the vehicle, rolled the window down and continued shooting at the victims. 

The victim who died as a result of the shooting has since been identified as Jahmari Rice, and a vigil was held Wednesday in remembrance. 

Classes were canceled both Wednesday and Thursday, but resumed on Friday with additional support services offered to students that need them.