Murder Charge Dismissed in 2021 Brooklyn Park Shooting
Prosecutors have dismissed a murder charge against a Minneapolis man in connection with a fatal 2021 Brooklyn Park shooting.
Benjamin Richardson, 25, was released from police custody this week.
He had previously been charged with second-degree murder for the shooting of 22-year-old Alameen Allah Shabazz, of Robbinsdale.
Richardson was arrested in Virginia this January.
Hennepin County prosecutors dismissed the charges, saying “insufficient evidence is currently available to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt at trial,” according to court filings.
A bullet hole in the window of the Nice Family African Market in Brooklyn Park after the shooting of Alameen Allah Shabaz.
2021 Shooting Occurred Outside Brooklyn Park Market
On June 22, 2021, Shabazz was shot and killed outside of the Nice Family African Market near the corner of Regent Avenue and Brooklyn Boulevard.
Witnesses reported that a man with dreadlocks had fired the shots from a silver Chrysler.
Shabazz was killed 11 days after he and his girlfriend’s baby was born prematurely. The pair were returning home from visiting their child in the hospital when Shabazz was shot walking into the store.
After he was shot, Shabazz got back into his girlfriend’s car. She drove him to Willow Lane Apartments and police arrived at the scene.
EMTs took Shabazz to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Children between the ages of 5 and 12 years-old were in the store during the shooting. Some were injured while ducking for cover during the shooting, while others had hid in the bathroom. They “required a lot of coaxing before they would leave,” according to the criminal complaint.
Richardson was charged with the shooting and police issued a nationwide warrant for his arrest.
He was arrested on Jan. 18 in Bedford County, Va., and extradited to Minnesota.
Challenges to the Charges
Investigators with the Brooklyn Park Police Department launched an extensive investigation into the shooting.
They identified a 17-year-old girl who acted as the getaway driver during the shooting.
The getaway driver told police that Richardson was the shooter.
Richardson’s lawyer challenged prosecutors on the validity of her testimony.
“To this day, the only evidence linking Mr. Richardson to the murder of [Shabazz] is the uncorroborated testimony of [the getaway driver],” Richardson’s lawyer wrote in court documents. “There is no physical evidence or eyewitness testimony tying Mr. Richardson to the murder of [Shabazz] on the evening of June 22, 2021. There is no weapon linking Mr. Richardson to the shooting of [Shabazz]; Mr. Richardson’s DNA and fingerprints were not found anywhere inside of the suspect vehicle or its contents; and the only eyewitness to the shooting—the victim’s girlfriend … could not pick Mr. Richardson out of a lineup after telling law enforcement that she would be able to identify the shooter because the shooter reportedly looked directly at her.”
Richardson’s lawyer also said that he had an alibi, and can been seen on surveillance footage at a different gas station at the time of the shooting.
Response from Brooklyn Park Police
A spokesperson for the Brooklyn Park Police Department provided CCX News with the following statement on the case:
“We were recently made aware of the dismissal of murder charges against Benjamin Richardson. We trust the professional and thorough review that the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has given this case. This case will remain open and active with our agency. We will continue to collect evidence and work towards a successful prosecution in the future. “
See also: Man Fatally Shot Outside Brooklyn Park Convenience Store
