In the early evening of July 1, 2025, a 17-year-old Black/African American girl named Zoey Kpanlin was found with a life-threatening gunshot wound in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis. The shooting occurred around 8 p.m. in the 7000 block of Lakeland Avenue North. First responders administered aid at the scene before she was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Her death, which came just days before she would have turned 18, was quickly ruled a homicide, prompting an intensive search for the person responsible.
Family and friends were left reeling by the sudden loss of a vibrant young woman who was described as a happy teenager full of talent and ambition. An online fundraiser organized by her family remembered her love for making others laugh and her aspiration to one day become a business mogul. As the community mourned, police embarked on an extensive investigation, piecing together the events that led to the fatal shooting. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the State Patrol, were involved in the search for the suspect.
The investigation led authorities to identify 25-year-old Melchizedek Kpaan of Maple Grove as the primary suspect. A criminal complaint was filed in Hennepin County District Court, and an arrest warrant was issued. After more than two weeks on the run, Kpaan was apprehended in North Ridgeville, Ohio, with the assistance of the Ohio State Patrol. He was subsequently booked into the Lorain County jail to await extradition back to Minnesota to face charges for second-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm.
Court documents later revealed details from the investigation that painted a clearer picture of the tragic encounter. According to the criminal complaint, surveillance footage captured Kpaan and Kpanlin together in a parking lot shortly before the shooting. Investigators also used data from the victim's cellphone, which showed she had been in communication with Kpaan leading up to their meeting. The footage allegedly shows Kpaan throwing a backpack at Kpanlin before shooting her. After being shot, she ran a short distance before collapsing. It was from there that she was able to make a 911 call to report that she had been shot. Kpaan was seen fleeing the scene and discarding a sweater in a dumpster, which was later recovered by law enforcement.
