Fatal fight over computer leads to murder charge

A Minneapolis man was charged with second-degree murder in an apparent fight over a computer, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Tuesday.

Nicholas Allan Young, 28, was charged with second-degree unintentional murder in the Saturday death of a 45-year-old man. Young is expected to make his first court appearance tomorrow.

According to the criminal complaint, police and medics were sent to an apartment building at 1918 Park Ave. S. about 5:20 p.m. Saturday and found the victim unconscious and he was soon pronounced dead. While the medics were working on him, Young arrived in the hallway outside the victim’s apartment with blood on his hands and head and a contusion on his left eye. He admitted the two got into a fight.

Minneapolis police found a man who lived in the building who knew Young and the victim. He told the investigators that he saw Young in the hallway earlier in the afternoon and that Young said he “got into it,” with the victim and he was no longer breathing. Young asked the neighbor to hold on to two laptops for him because he might be in trouble, the complaint states.

Police arrested Young. In an interview, Young told them that about eight months ago, he purchased a laptop computer, which he sold to the victim, who was to pay him in monthly installments. Saturday, he went to the victim’s apartment for his payment. When the victim said he didn’t have the money, Young asked him to return the laptop, according to the complaint. Young said the victim punched him, they got into a fight and Young blacked out. Young claimed he woke up next to the victim, tried to revive him, told someone to call 911 and then left the room.

Preliminary information from the medical examiner’s office indicated the victim had injuries to his face and head and the hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage in his throat were fractured, the complaint states.

Young Criminal Complaint (PDF)