Judge convicts man of murder in downtown Minneapolis shooting

(AP) A 21-year-old Minneapolis man was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder on Wednesday in the shooting death of an innocent bystander outside an entertainment complex in downtown Minneapolis in March.

Hennepin County District Judge Todd Barnette also convicted Derick Holliday on a charge of attempted first-degree murder, but acquitted him of assault. Holliday waived his right to a jury trial.

He faces a mandatory life sentence for the murder charge and another 20 years for the attempted murder charge when he's sentenced Dec. 11.

Derick Holliday was accused in the fatal shooting of Alan Reitter, 31, of Minnetonka, outside the Block E entertainment complex on March 31. He was charged with attempted murder for allegedly firing on his intended target, a 20-year-old Minneapolis man.

"The area was crowded that night and numerous people witnessed Holliday as he fired his .44 Magnum handgun while chasing another man," said Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar. "Even though he hit an innocent victim, the intent follows the bullet."

Witnesses said there was an argument at the movie theater in the entertainment complex that spilled outside. Witnesses testified to seeing Holliday running across 6th Street chasing another man and firing shots at him.

At the same time, Reitter was walking along 6th Street with some friends. He was hit in the head and fell to the ground at the entrance to a parking lot. He later died at the Hennepin County Medical Center.

The shooting prompted widespread concern about the safety of some of Minneapolis' night spots.

The assault charge against Holliday arose from the accusation that he pointed the gun at a police officer while he was being chased after the shooting. The powerful handgun was later recovered from the back of a pickup truck parked nearby.