Juvenile Charged in Downtown Minneapolis Light Rail Shooting

A Saint Paul juvenile has been charged for a shooting at a downtown Minneapolis light rail station, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Thursday.

Tashawn Powell, 17, was charged with intentional murder in the second degree.

Powell is scheduled to make his first appearance Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

According to the petition, on August 2, police were dispatched to the Nicollet Mall light rail station. There, they discovered a 15-year-old male lying on the platform with a large amount of blood flowing from his mouth and chest. Both police and a civilian bystander attempted lifesaving medical care. Paramedics arrived shortly after and declared the victim dead. Police found a discharged cartridge casing near the victim's body.

Police were able to view Metro Transit video footage of the shooting, the petition continues. Police then aired a description of the subject, noting that he might have boarded a Metro Transit bus. Police located the bus and spoke with the bus driver, who said that an individual matching the suspect's description had recently exited the bus. They searched the area and found Powell, who matched the description from the video.

Police arrested Powell and conducted a search of his person. They found that Powell was carrying a handgun that was the same caliber as the discharged cartridge casing. Powell subsequently admitted to shooting the victim and that the handgun he was carrying was the one used to shoot him.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office will seek to have Powell tried as an adult.