Prosecutor: Woman shot outside downtown Target not expected to survive

A woman who was critically wounded in a shooting last week outside the downtown Target store is not expected to survive, according to prosecutors who anticipate harsher charges to be filed later this week against the alleged shooter.

Perishea L. Young, 23, of West St. Paul, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree intentional attempted murder and first-degree assault in connection with the shooting around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at 9th Street and Nicollet Mall.

In her first court appearance Monday, Young made no comment while nearly a dozen family members and friends showed up in support.

Prosecutor Judith Cole told Judge Lyonel Norris that the victim, only identified as initials S.C., is "not expected to survive her injuries and this may be changing to a homicide sometime this week."

Cole said that Young is claiming self-defense; however, surveillance cameras from that intersection show "this is not a viable claim."

"The victim was not reaching for anything. ... Ms. Young was upset because the victim spat at her," she said.

Public defender Geoffrey Isaacman said that Young has a permit to carry and she possessed a firearm because she is homeless and uses the firearm to protect herself and her 4-year-old son as they bounce around and sometimes end up in unsafe places.

He added that Young turned herself in that night at 9:15 p.m. — less than four hours after the shooting — and he's never heard of someone turning themselves in after a shorter window of time than Young did.

"It was a terrible choice on her part and she knows there is a price to pay," he said.

Norris set bail at $400,000 with no conditions, or $150,000 with conditions that include no firearm possession, no contact with the victim and witness and no going to the scene of the shooting.

Young's next court appearance is Sept. 15.

According to the criminal complaint:

Surveillance videos showed the victim and Young in a verbal confrontation before Young pulled a gun from her purse, stepped toward the other woman and shot her at close range.

The victim is "unarmed and at no point did she advance upon" Young, the complaint read.

Young ran and dropped the gun. A third female picked up the gun and tossed it into a car. Young got in the car and fled.