Rochester man charged with murder after shooting at Essex Park Apartments

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Rochester man faces murder and weapons charges after a deadly shooting at an apartment complex earlier this month, according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County District Court. 

Police response, witness accounts after fatal shooting 

What we know:

According to a criminal complaint, officers responded to Essex Park Apartments at 5:17 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, after reports of gunshots. They found a man with a gunshot wound to the neck, who later died at a hospital.

The complaint states witnesses told police that Derrell Sheldon Williams, who was staying with his significant other at the apartment complex, had ongoing disputes with the victim. An altercation the night before and a threatening message written on a car were part of the conflict. 

The complaint states another witness, a sibling of the victim, said Williams approached the victim, pulled out a black handgun and fired a single shot after the victim put up his hand in self-defense. Williams then ran from the scene. Police found a .9mm casing but did not recover a firearm at the scene. Detectives tracked Williams’ phone and arrested him at a Rochester motel the next morning. 

The complaint states Williams told detectives he fired a shot at the ground to stop the victim from charging at him, and did not realize he had hit anyone until hours later. Williams admitted to police that he is not legally allowed to possess firearms, and described throwing the disassembled gun into a river after the shooting.

The complaint details that Williams has prior felony drug convictions in Illinois, making him ineligible to possess a firearm under Minnesota law. Williams faces four felony charges: second-degree murder with intent, second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and illegal possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence. 

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the name of the victim or additional details about the events leading up to the shooting. The status of the firearm and further witness statements remain unclear.