Shooting suspect pursued through Minneapolis charged with attempted murder
Norman Parker Credit: Hennepin County Jail
A man who was in a stolen car that led law enforcement on a pursuit through Minneapolis is now facing attempted murder charges.
Prosecutors charged 35-year-old Norman Wesley Parker with two counts of attempted second-degree murder, drive-by shooting and illegal gun possession on Monday in connection with an incident in January.
Last week, Minneapolis police said officers helped Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office deputies after they found a shooting suspect inside a stolen vehicle near 22nd Avenue North and Emerson Avenue around 10 a.m. Friday. However, when they tried to stop the vehicle, it rammed three deputies’ squads and fled, leading to a pursuit that eventually ended when the vehicle crashed near Central Avenue and University Avenue Southeast.
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Parker was a passenger in the vehicle and was taken into custody upon being released from the hospital.
While police didn’t provide details regarding which shooting he was wanted for, court documents filed Monday allege that Parker shot at two women he knew on the night of Jan. 4.
A criminal complaint states it happened at around 10 p.m. at the intersection of Broadway Avenue North and Fremont Avenue in Minneapolis. One of the victims, who knows Parker by the name “Shooter,” told police she and her friend had been at a home just before the shooting and her friend had gotten into an argument with Parker.
While they were waiting at a stoplight, the victim said Parker pulled up alongside them with an “evil” look, then fired a handgun several times at them. Officers responding to that incident found several discharged cartridge casings at the scene.
The complaint notes that when Parker was arrested Friday, officers found a gun on the floorboard where he was seated in the vehicle. Forensic analysis showed it was the same gun used on Jan. 4.
Parker’s previous gun possession, assault, drug and aggravated robbery convictions make him ineligible to have a gun.
His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for attempted murder, and the gun possession and drive-by shooting charges carry up to 15 years and 10 years in prison, respectively.