A Minneapolis teenager shot two campaign aides working for Lacy Johnson, a Republican who is challenging Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), prosecutors said.
The 17-year-old, Jomoy Lee, appeared in court on Monday and remains detained at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center as prosecutors seek to have him tried as an adult.
Lee was charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, felony possession of a firearm, and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle.
Police officers responded to reports of gunfire at a gas station on Fremont Avenue North and Dowling Avenue North in Minneapolis on Sept. 14 and found two teens shot, a 17-year-old later identified as Andre Conley and a 19-year-old.
Conley later died from his wounds.
Lee was spotted on Thursday driving a vehicle. When police tried stopping him, he sped away and hurled items, including a gun, out of his car.
Ballistics testing showed the gun was used in the murder.
Lee was eventually captured.
Another gun was found in his car.
Both Conley and the other teen who was shot worked as aides to Johnson, his campaign said.
“Today we are shocked and saddened to learn of this senseless act of violence. It is shocking and unnecessary acts of violence like this that prove why change is more needed than ever in our community. The shootings did not occur during a campaign event or outreach and we do not believe it has any connection to their work for the campaign,” it said.
Johnson told KARE 11 that both youth “came to me and told me that they want to do positive things with their lives.”
