Suspects charged in fatal February shooting in Minneapolis

Prosecutors charged two suspects Friday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred in February in Minneapolis.

Marquis Deonte Gardner, 32, is accused of shooting and killing 28-year-old Alexis Rae Rodriguez and injuring a man in his 40s. Anthony Leandre Winston, 37, is accused of helping Gardner after the shooting, which occurred near the Jordan neighborhood on Feb. 21.

Gardner has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder. Winston has been charged with two counts of aiding an offender.

RELATED: Jordan neighborhood shooting leaves 1 dead, 1 injured; no arrests made

At around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, officers from the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) say they used ShotSpotter to determine that 11 gunshots had been fired near the intersection of 26th Avenue North and Broadway Avenue West. Two gunshot victims, a man and a woman, arrived at North Memorial Hospital shortly after.

The woman was reportedly shot in the head and did not survive her injuries. The man was shot five times but survived.

Police captured the suspects on surveillance video riding in a white Chevrolet Tahoe. The Tahoe was reported stolen 15 hours after the shooting.

Police say that on the day of the shooting, Gardner picked up Winston in the Tahoe, which belonged to Winston’s girlfriend. Shortly after the murder, Winston called his girlfriend to tell her “something happened.” Winston and his girlfriend then reported the Tahoe as stolen.

Investigators eventually learned that Winston had used the vehicle in previous incidents involving a firearm.

Using cellphone data, investigators learned that both Winston and Gardner were at the scene of the crime when the shooting happened.

Surveillance video shows Gardner and Winston arriving at Winston’s girlfriend’s house in Brooklyn Park and wiping down the windshield of the vehicle, including checking it for discharged cartridge cases.

A witness reported to authorities that Gardner had an ongoing conflict with the injured man. Gardner also told police he has had previous run-ins with the male victim and that the victim once robbed him at gunpoint.

Gardner faces a maximum of 40 years in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. He faces 20 years if convicted of attempted second-degree murder. His bail is currently set at $1 million.

Winston faces up to three years for each count of aiding an offender. His bail is currently set at $1 million.

Both suspects are set to appear in court Friday afternoon.