Second suspect charged in Brooklyn Park slaying

An 18-year-old Fridley man has been charged with murder in the July 7 shooting death of a 17-year-old girl in Brooklyn Park.

Charges filed Monday in Hennepin County District Court say Kivian Heard allegedly pistol-whipped Jennifer Scott and shot her in the head at close range.

The Hennepin County attorney's office also filed a petition last week accusing Deshawn Brasson, 16, of Brooklyn Park, of aiding and abetting in the slaying.

Authorities say Scott, of Champlin, called a friend at 10:28 p.m. on July 7 to say that she was "hanging out" with two males but was on her way to the friend's house.

About 20 minutes later, Scott was found shot to death next to a relative's car outside the Huntington Place apartments.

According to charges filed against the suspects:

Brasson told a witness after the shooting that he and Heard, whom Brasson described as his "homeboy," tried to rob Scott before Heard struck her in the head and fatally shot her.

Another witness reported seeing Heard's cousin give Heard a handgun on the afternoon of July 7. The next day, the witness told police, Heard and his cousin were together again, and the cousin once again had possession of the gun.

Heard, who turned himself in to police last Monday, told authorities that he had never seen the victim or her car.

According to the charges, crime lab analyses indicated that a fingerprint on the car belonged to Heard and that his DNA was on a small pocket knife found on the floor behind the driver's seat.

Heard and Brasson both are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, first-degree aggravated robbery and attempted first-degree aggravated robbery.

The attorney's office said Friday that it would seek to try Brasson as an adult.

Heard is scheduled to make his first court appearance on the charges on Tuesday. He remained in custody Monday in lieu of $1 million bail.

Records show Heard has other active Hennepin County cases alleging that he evaded police, possessed or sold small amounts of marijuana and engaged in fights or brawls.

Earlier this year, he lived in Brooklyn Center, but when booked into the jail in the current case, he was staying with a cousin in Fridley, jail records show.

Anthony Lonetree • 612-673-4109