Two killings rattle north Minneapolis

A shooting at a house in north Minneapolis on Friday claimed the lives of two men who relatives said were turning their lives around while operating a used computer store. One of the men was about to become a father.

The homicides were the city's 18th and 19th so far this year, a tally that equals all of the city's killings in 2009, according to Minneapolis police.

Investigators had no immediate word on suspects or a motive in the slayings of housemates Anton Warren, 31, and Romaze Stevens, 30, in the 3300 block of Russell Avenue N. A third housemate discovered their bodies shortly after 9 a.m. when he returned home after being away overnight, police said.

Family members, many of them arriving at the scene to talk to police and one another, said many neighborhoods across the city have been ringing with gunshots.

"They need to stop all this killing," said Warren's aunt, Tricia Edwards, her voice breaking. "Please stop. It don't make no sense. It breaks my heart for my nephew to go this way."

Yellow crime tape marked off much of the block where Warren and Stevens lived; police said they were searching for evidence that might have been left behind.

Neighbors said they heard a late-night fight on the block and saw people running through yards. Neighbor Tracie Williams said she heard six or seven shots about 1 a.m.

Inspector Mike Martin, who heads the Fourth Precinct, said police went to the house before the shooting. Someone had called police at 10:30 p.m. to report the sound of shots and a loud party at the house, which was owned by Warren. Police found no one injured and broke up the party, Martin said.

Police said they had to shoot and kill Warren's pit bull in the home because the dog wouldn't allow investigators near the bodies.

Warren was known to some in the neighborhood as the owner of Low Cost Computers, a used computer store located nearby on Dowling Avenue N. Stevens worked for him.

Edwards, Warren's aunt, said thieves had broken into his home three times recently and had stolen televisions. She said Warren was a deep sleeper and hadn't heard the break-ins. Edwards said she believes their killings happened during another robbery.

Stevens' father, Michael Warfield, voiced some of the bewilderment expressed by both families.

"He didn't deserve to have this done to him," Warfield said. "He had friends who loved him and understood him and stood by him. I don't have any idea who would have done something like this. It's so tragic. He didn't have any enemies."

He said he last saw his son about a week ago, and everything seemed fine. He paused, noting that he remains in shock that it's his son in the morgue.

"I really believe it's not him," he said.

Moved away from 'bad crowd'

Warren grew up in Hammond, Ind., and came to Minneapolis seven years ago to start over, said his brother, Cheque Edwards, who spoke to the Star Tribune by phone from Hammond.

"He hung around with a bad crowd here," Edwards said. "He wanted to turn his life around. He was tired of being in trouble."

He received certification from Brown College and only six months ago opened the computer store.

Warren bought the house two years ago, his brother said. He had two children on the way, apparently by two women. Stevens had two school-age daughters in Harvey, Ill.

Cheque Edwards said he talked with his brother often, and there was no indication of trouble.

"Every time I talk to him I tell him, 'Be careful,' that I love him," he said, "He does the same for me."

So he was shocked by the news of his brother's death.

"His past was left way behind, way behind," he said.

Inspector Martin said the neighborhood's not known for being especially violent, though some neighbors Friday complained that they hear too many gunshots.

The city's murder rate has climbed sharply this year compared with 2009, which had the lowest murder rate in a quarter-century.

"We've definitely seen an uptick in violence over the last few weeks," said Martin. "Part of that is to be expected because of the warmer weather, and people who have rivalries with each other are outside, and they run into each other more. But we're also seeing some of the individuals that were imprisoned in 2005 and 2006 coming back out into the street."

Matt McKinney • 612-217-1747 Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482 Maria Elena Baca • 612-673-4409