Teen arrested in south Minneapolis shooting of baby, man

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (KMSP) - Minneapolis police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection to the shooting deaths of a 20-year-old man and a 7-month-old baby on Sunday. Police confirmed the 17-year-old was booked early Wednesday morning into the Juvenile Detention Center on probable cause murder.

“Through tenacious detective work, analysis of evidence, and basic, old fashion shoe leather detective work—hitting the street, talking to people, knocking on doors—we were able to make an arrest in this case,” said Cmdr. Erick Fors of Minneapolis’ Violent Crimes division.

The shooting happened at 26th Street and 11th Avenue South around 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both victims were in the backseat of a parked car when they were shot. Minneapolis police said the shooting was a targeted attack.

Julia Johnson identified the man killed in the shooting as her younger brother, 20-year-old Gustav Christianson. Police said Christianson was not the father of the child and his sister does not know the relation between the two. The 7-month-old was identified Wednesday as Jayden Redden.

“All I know is he’s lying over there dead. That’s all I know. I don’t know why. I don’t know how,” Johnson said.

Fors declined to comment on details of the case, saying they are still hoping to gather more information.

“There’s still people we’d like to talk to and there’s still other people that may have information and we don’t want to cloud what they have to say, so we’re not going to release any more information on this,” Fors said.

Johnson said she had heard Christianson was with a woman, who fled the scene. Christianson was not the father of the child, but police believe the boy was the son of the woman he was with.

Christianson had previously been involved in a gang, according to his sister. He had also recently gotten out of jail and was in a treatment program, she told Fox 9.

Records show Christianson had served time at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility in March 2014 for second degree assault with a dangerous weapon. He was released this past June and has been a fugitive since July 29, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections website.

The Hennepin County Attorney indicated that charges against the teen would be filed by Thursday. A spokesperson for the attorney’s office said he expected the teen to be charged as an adult.