Two charged in shooting death of Minneapolis teen

Ryan E. Loyd, 20, and Kenneth Lee Johnson, 16, were out riding Fourth of July night, both of them alleged Young 'N Thuggin' street gang members, when they spotted a group of people walking up Fremont Avenue N. in Minneapolis.

At least one male in that group was an associate of the rival T-Block street gang, authorities say, and Loyd, who authorities said thought that a T-Block member had messed up and needed to be set straight, was ready to act -- with gun in hand.

The Ford Expedition in which they were traveling went another block, the pair got out, and before the group reached Fremont and 30th Avenues N., the two suspects ran out from between houses and began firing, according to charges filed against Loyd and Johnson Wednesday.

Dead from a single shot in the back was Anthony Titus, 16, of Minneapolis. The killing would touch off mourning that would be disrupted two days later when more shots were fired at his house -- again by males riding in the same Ford Expedition, police said.

Loyd, of Minneapolis, and Johnson, of Crystal, were charged in Hennepin County District Court with four counts each of first-degree murder. Two involve murder committed for the benefit of a gang. Bail for each was set at $2 million.

According to police, Titus, a much-loved teen who has been the subject of public shows of support at a north Minneapolis street corner, was in the company of at least one T-Block member when he was killed.

The complaint makes no mention of his possible gang involvement. His mother, Princess Titus, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, has said that her son was a chef, athlete, baby sitter and scholar, and no "gangbanger."

On Wednesday, Deputy Chief Rob Allen said: "We're still investigating what his involvement may have been in gang activities."

A break in the murder case came with the drive-by shooting at the victim's Thomas Avenue N. home. No one was hit, but parents were forced to scramble to protect their children. Witnesses to that shooting got a good glimpse of the vehicle and its license plate, and notified police.

A day later, police pulled over the Expedition near Lowry and Thomas Avenues N. Inside were two guns and a dark baseball hat. According to the murder charges filed Wednesday, Johnson had been wearing a dark baseball hat at the time of the killing.

Witnesses said the other gunman was wearing a black bandana over his face. Loyd later was seen carrying a bandana back to the Expedition, the complaint against him states.

Johnson and Loyd are scheduled to make their first court appearances on the murder charges Thursday afternoon.

Anthony Lonetree • 612-673-4109