Man identified in fatal Brooklyn Center highway shooting; charges filed against daughter

A 62-year-old man has been identified as the victim in a fatal shooting that took place on Interstate 94 in Brooklyn Center last month. In addition, charges have been filed against the victim’s daughter.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Melvin Troy, from Brooklyn Center. He died from a gunshot wound to the head. A criminal complaint states 42-year-old Takesha Monic Deadwyler, also from Brooklyn Center, has been charged with first-degree and second-degree manslaughter. She was booked into the Hennepin County Jail, but has since been released with conditions.

Deadwyler is expected to make her first court appearance on Sept. 20.

The shooting happened on Aug. 21 on eastbound I-94 near the 53rd Avenue North exit.

A complaint states that at about 9:35 p.m., officers were sent to a shooting on I-94 and 53rd Avenue North in Brooklyn Center. When officers arrived, they found a man, later identified as Troy, on the ground with a gunshot wound to his head. He was later pronounced dead.

Others present at the scene included Troy’s daughter Deadwyler, another man, a 16-year-old girl and a four-year-old girl. A handgun and a single discharged casing were also found at the scene near Troy’s body.

After police spoke with Deadwyler and the other witnesses, they learned that they were all in a car with Troy when an argument broke out between Troy and the man. The argument reportedly escalated and became physical, with the man and Troy slapping and hitting each other, according to the complaint. Deadwyler was driving the vehicle at the time. She then pulled the car over, and the man, Troy and Deadwyler got out of the car.

Once they were outside the car, Deadwyler told police she had a bullet loaded in the chamber of the gun she was carrying and at one point, the gun "accidentally" went off while she was allegedly trying to separate the other two.