In the early hours of August 27, 2025, a violent encounter in downtown Minneapolis claimed the life of 35-year-old Jermaine Jabaar Typray Barker, a Black male from Rochester. The incident unfolded around 2 a.m. near the intersection of 8th Street North and Hennepin Avenue, an area situated in the heart of the city's theater district. Barker was on a sidewalk, engaged in a dice game with a group of people, when the fatal confrontation occurred.
A man, later identified as 21-year-old
Tyrone De Shun Childs Jr. of Minneapolis, approached the group. According to witnesses, Childs, who was wearing distinctive Ed Hardy clothing, demanded something from Barker. In response, Barker reportedly told him, "you're gonna have to shoot me.” Following this exchange, Childs allegedly drew a gun and shot Barker multiple times. Even after Barker fell to the ground, the gunman continued to fire, ultimately striking him 13 times. Another man, who was 21 years old, was also wounded during the assault but survived his injuries.
Following the shooting, surveillance footage captured the suspect going through Barker's pockets and belongings before casually walking away from the scene. The footage tracked the individual as he crossed the Hennepin Avenue Bridge and entered an apartment in the St. Anthony Main area, where he reportedly changed his clothes before leaving in a vehicle. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner later confirmed that Barker's death was a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.
An investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, led to the arrest of Tyrone De Shun Childs Jr. He was taken into custody on Wednesday in the 700 block of 12th Avenue N. Childs has since been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and second-degree assault in connection with the death of Jermaine Barker. He is being held in custody on a $1 million bail. The fatal shooting was one of three deadly shootings that occurred in Minneapolis within a few hours, prompting the city's police chief to describe it as a "deeply unsettling" day.
