Man sentenced to 25 years in prison for fatal shooting in Minneapolis

A man has been sentenced to prison for fatally shooting another man who was walking in Minneapolis last year.

According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, 24-year-old Varnell Allen was sentenced to more than 25 years (306 months) in prison for second-degree murder, Tuesday. Allen had previously pleaded guilty in March.

Man pleads guilty to fatally shooting man walking with girlfriend

A criminal complaint states, on Sept. 28, 2019, 21-year-old Enzo Herrera Garcia was walking with his girlfriend along Hennepin Avenue near Eighth Street when a vehicle pulled up next to them. Allen, who was driving the vehicle, and his passenger yelled something out the window.

After words were exchanged, Allen got out of the car, and he and the passenger started beating Garcia, the complaint states. During the assault, Allen hit Garcia with the gun, dropped it and then picked it up and fired a shot that killed Garcia.

Allen later admitted he didn’t know Garcia but intended to kill him anyway, the attorney’s office said.