Gustavsson & Backman plead guilty in shooting case near Fourth Precinct station

Nathan Wayne Gustavsson, 23, and Joseph Martin Backman, 28, pleaded guilty to charges brought against them related to their involvement in the shooting of five men near the Fourth Precinct station in November 2015, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.

In court this morning, Gustavsson, of Hermantown, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree riot and one count of aiding an offender / accomplice after the fact. Gustavsson was with Allen Scarsella on the night of Nov. 23, 2015 when Scarsella shot five men near the Fourth Precinct station. Gustavsson will be sentenced on July 19 and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is seeking 5–10 years of probation and a jail sentence of 6–8 months.

Backman, of Eagan, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding an offender/accomplice after the fact, a gross misdemeanor. He went to the Fourth Precinct with Scarsella and Gustavsson that same night, but he was not with them when Scarsella shot the men. When Backman heard shots fired, he called 911. His sentencing is scheduled for July 19 and the county attorney’s office is seeking two years of probation and up to 90 days in jail.

In February, a jury found Scarsella, 23, guilty of all 12 counts against him. He is now serving a sentence of 15 years in prison.