A 19-year-old man armed with a handgun shot three women 25 times after an argument at a birthday party and now faces six charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault.
Delonte Ahshone Thomas, who lives in the 3400 block of Dupont Avenue N. in Minneapolis, allegedly shot the women just hours after Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau and Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges held separate news conferences in north Minneapolis to address a spike of shootings and assaults.
All three victims of the July 9 shooting survived despite being hit in the chest, arms, legs and back by .40-caliber rounds.
Thomas faces three counts of attempted second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree assault, the Hennepin County attorney's office said Thursday.
According to the charges, Thomas went to the party in the 3500 block of Fremont Avenue N. on July 9. He argued with a woman who was upset over someone who arrived with Thomas. Thomas left with two people and drove off in a car. After 15 minutes, Thomas told the others that he wanted to return to the party.
One person stayed in the car while Thomas and one other man got out, walking south down the alley toward the house.
The woman who had earlier argued with Thomas told police that she saw him run into the back yard from the alley, pointing a gun at her. He shot her nine times in the arms, leg and back. Another woman was shot eight times, including once in the center of her chest.
A third woman told police she had just stepped outside to join the party when she heard gunfire. She was struck eight times in the legs.
