Shooter charged in Mpls. November drive-by
The Hennepin County Attorney's office has charged Marlon Alejandro Lozano-Montano, 17, of Minneapolis in a drive-by shooting that wounded a 12-year-old Minneapolis girl last November.
Prosecutors charged Montano with first degree assault and three other felony counts related to the shooting.
County Attorney Mike Freeman said it appears that Montano fired at a group of people because he thought they were in a rival gang. Freeman said Minneapolis police are on alert for acts of revenge.
"We know there's been discussion of retaliation," Freeman said. "And we're here to say, 'we know who you are, we know who did the shooting, we knew who wants to retaliate -- don't.'"
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The victim, Guadalupe Hernandez, was paralyzed by the bullet. County officials are calling the shooting gang-related. Earlier this month, the county charged the alleged driver, Casey Walters, 19, who prosecutors believe has ties to a gang called the Sureno 13.
In the Walters trial, Freeman said Lozano-Montano allegedly shouted a gang-related remark before he fired.
"This apparently was a crime committed between two known street gangs -- Surenos 13 and the Vatos Locos. Why this particular young woman was shot, and why this group of people were shot at, we don't know," Freeman said.
Montano is 17 and a juvenile. However, Freeman said he believes Montano will be tried as an adult. He's charged with four felony counts.