FRIDLEY, Minn. — A teen who was shot in Fridley last weekend has died of his injuries, and prosecutors say a 17-year-old now stands charged with murder.
According to the Anoka County Sheriff's Office, the 15-year-old was declared dead from his injuries on Tuesday. He was identified as Anthony Joseph Rouse of Blaine.
A GoFundMe raising money to cover funeral costs for Rouse's family says he was "a young spirited child with his entire life ahead of him. He touched many hearts and was very loved." The fundraiser page can be found here.
Another teen is now charged with second-degree murder in Rouse's death.
Fridley police officers were dispatched to a local emergency room just after 7 p.m. Sunday after Rouse arrived with a gunshot wound. A delinquency report filed in Anoka County District Court said Rouse was with two others that night when they drove to the area of 61st and Main Street in Fridley to buy some marijuana.
The witnesses who were with Rouse say they were in the process of making a purchase when the defendant appeared at the window of their vehicle and told them they were being robbed. When the driver of the van tried to speed off, he says the gunman opened fire, hitting Rouse.
Witnesses in the neighborhood where the shooting took place recognized one individual fleeing the scene and identified him to police. That person identified the shooter as the 17-year-old who is now in custody. When interviewed by police, the teen denied being present at the shooting, but prosecutors say surveillance footage recovered from the scene show him walking to the window of the vehicle the victim was in and eventually opening fire.
Anoka County Attorney Tony Palumbo says the juvenile has been charged with five felonies including second-degree murder, assault and attempted robbery. Palumbo is seeking to have the teen certified to stand trial as an adult.
The defendant's next court appearance in Anoka County District Court is set for Monday, July 26.
