Suspect arrested in connection with killing of 9-year-old in Minneapolis last spring

An arrest has been made in the death of 9-year-old Trinity Ottoson-Smith last spring in north Minneapolis, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced Wednesday.

Ottoson-Smith was shot on May 15 while she was playing on a trampoline in the backyard of her friend’s home on North Ilion Avenue. Police say the suspect was driving down the alley and fired at a home, hitting the girl. She died less than two weeks later.

Investigators with the BCA said the victim was the unintended target of a gang-related drive-by shooting.

RELATED: Family of 9-year-old shot in Minneapolis: ‘Kids just can’t be kids, something’s got to give’

D’Pree Shareef Robinson, 19, is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder and was taken into custody around noon Wednesday at his home in Minneapolis. He is due to appear in court later this week.

“Today, we’re celebrating for Trinity’s family. Today, we’re celebrating justice for Trinity,” KG Wilson, grandfather of Allen and long-time Twin Cities activist, said Wednesday next to the memorial for his granddaughter at the intersection of 36^th and Penn avenues in North Minneapolis.

That’s where she was shot — and it was the first place he went after hearing the news that someone had been arrested in Ottoson-Smith’s homicide case.

“It was like my heart started beating again,” Wilson added about hearing the news. “This is the closest that I’ve come to hope since these tragedies happen. This just pushes me to go even harder than I’ve been going already,” he added about the work to find his granddaughter’s killer.

Ottoson-Smith was one of three young children who were shot in Minneapolis last spring.

Ladavionne Garrett Jr., 10, was shot and critically injured on April 10 while riding in a car. He was recovering in the hospital for months and was released in November.

Aniya Allen, 6, was shot two days after Ottoson-Smith and later died from her injuries.

The families of the victims and Crime Stoppers of Minnesota teamed up to offer a $30,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the shootings.

“As we said during the Spotlight on Crime news conference last August, families deserve to know who did this to their children.” BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said in a statement. “We have worked diligently to achieve justice for Trinity and her family. This is the first step toward achieving that justice.”

Minneapolis Police Department spokesman Officer Garrett Parten said as of Wednesday, no arrests have been made in the shootings of Garrett and Allen.