Teen suspect to be tried as adult in killing of infant, man

Police watch crime scene technicians
Police watch as crime scene technicians document scene of double slaying in south Minneapolis on Sunday.
Tim Nelson | MPR News

Court records show that the 17-year-old boy accused of murdering a man and an infant over the weekend in Minneapolis had recently been sentenced to probation for committing aggravated robbery.

Jquan McInnis of Minneapolis will be prosecuted as an adult for shooting and killing 20-year-old Gustav Christianson and 7-month-old Jayden Eric Redden, according to the charges. Prosecutors allege that McInnis admitted shooting Christianson, but didn't know the baby was strapped in a car seat next to him.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said McInnis and Christianson apparently had a prior dispute, probably over money.

"This makes no sense," said Freeman. "Taking the life of another and a baby in a dispute — which we're not sure of but may have been over a debt not paid — and shooting into a car with a baby sitting there."

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Christianson's relatives have said he was a former gang member, but was trying to turn his life around.

However, Freeman said he's seen no evidence that would indicate the shooting was gang-related.

Clearly disturbed over the young ages of the victims and the alleged killer, Freeman said McInnis' alleged actions warrant his trial as an adult.

"It's not a juvenile act when you take a gun and shoot somebody in broad daylight and then you shoot into a car and kill a kid," said Freeman. "I mean, that's homicide. That's idiocy. And if we can prove what we've set forth in the allegations, he deserves one heck of a lot of time in the big house."