Complaint: Man Charged in Brooklyn Park Murder Shot 19-year-old ‘Without Provocation’
A Bayport, Minn., man has been charged in the shooting death of a 19-year-old man while they attended a birthday party at a Brooklyn Park home last Friday, a criminal complaint revealed this week.
Daniel Walker, 31, is charged with second-degree murder and prohibited possession of a firearm.
According to the criminal complaint:
Brooklyn Park police learned of the shooting when witnesses brought the victim to Unity Hospital in Fridley. The victim had a single gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has not yet released the identity of the victim.
The criminal complaint, citing multiple witnesses, says the victim was sitting at a card table when Walker shot the 19-year-old in the chest “without provocation.” The shooting happened shortly before 2 a.m. on Friday, June 2, at a home in the 9500 block of Thomas Avenue North. The complaint says attendees of the party were in the garage and the victim was sitting with several others at a card table when Walker stood up and shot the victim in the chest at close range.
Daniel Walker booking photo /credit Hennepin County jail
Suspect claims $50,000 bounty on his life
Walker fled the scene, the complaint continued. Police were able to locate Walker that evening at an apartment complex. Upon seeing officers, Walker fled into a third-story apartment and was attempting to jump off the balcony, but officers had the place surrounded and arrested him.
As officers booked Walker, they found a handwritten note in the suspect’s possession. The note stated “Tell JoJo that I sold the gun that had the body on it,” the complaint read.
“While officers were reviewing the note, [Walker] snatched it from their grasp, stuffed it into his mouth, and swallowed all but several scraps of the note,” continued the complaint.
In a Miranda statement, Walker later admitted to the shooting when confronted with police evidence. Walker claimed there was “a 50-thousand dollar bounty on his life” and that the victim “may have known about the bounty.” Walker also claimed that the victim “pulled out a gun and tried to shoot him” before he shot the 19-year-old.
Investigators were able to track down the gun Walker allegedly used in the shooting.
Walker remains in jail held on $1.5 million bail. Court records show Walker has an extensive criminal history, including multiple burglary charges, and was not allowed to possess a firearm.
Also See: Brooklyn Park Woman Charged in Knifepoint Robbery
