Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a teenager who they suspect of fatally shooting 12-year-old London Bean at a north Minneapolis apartment complex last week.
Jeremiah Marquise Grady, 18, of Minneapolis was charged with second-degree murder in the Sept. 8 killing of Bean outside Grady's apartment building at N. 8th and Aldrich avenues. He was charged by warrant, because police said his whereabouts were unknown as of Thursday morning.
Bean was shot after getting into a fight with another boy, believed to be Grady's younger brother, while several adults looked on. As the fight continued, witnesses told police that the suspect came around from the back of the building and pointed a gun at everyone, yelling, "Yeah! Wassup!" The gunman was said to be wearing a black ski mask and dressed in all black.
As people began to run, the suspect fired off several shots, two of which struck Bean in the chest and abdomen, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court. Bean was taken to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
As the suspect fled, he fired at a blue SUV parked nearby, narrowly missing a teenage girl, police said. Detectives were later directed to the suspect's Facebook page, which police believe belonged to Grady under a vanity name.
Police believe Grady may have traveled outside of Minnesota. Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submit tips to CrimeStoppersMN.org.
Minneapolis, like other large U.S. cities, has seen a sharp increase in homicides dating back to last year, with a growing number of children being among the victims. There have been 70 homicides so far in the city this year.