On the evening of May 14, 2026, in Rochester, Minnesota, a dispute between two men escalated to a fatal conclusion. Carlton Gardner, a 31-year-old man, was fatally shot outside an apartment building in the Essex Park neighborhood. The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. in the 900 block of 41st Street Northwest. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Gardner on the ground with a gunshot wound to his neck.
He was transported to the Mayo Clinic, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 6 p.m. The initial investigation suggested that the shooting was not a random act.
The investigation into Carlton Gardner's death quickly led authorities to a suspect. The day after the shooting, on the morning of May 15, 2026, police arrested 34-year-old Derrell Sheldon Williams in connection with the homicide. Williams was taken into custody at a local motel. Court documents revealed a history of conflict between Williams and Gardner, including a physical altercation the night before the shooting and a rivalry over a romantic partner. It was also alleged that Williams had previously put sugar in the gas tank of Gardner's semi-truck. Witnesses reported that on the day of the shooting, Williams approached Gardner, and after Gardner raised his hand in a defensive gesture, Williams pulled out a handgun and fired a single shot.
Following his arrest, Derrell Williams was charged with multiple felonies, including second-degree murder with intent, second-degree murder without intent while committing a felony, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and illegal possession of a firearm. Williams had prior felony drug convictions in Illinois, which made it illegal for him to possess a firearm in Minnesota. In his statement to detectives, Williams claimed he fired a shot at the ground to deter Gardner from charging at him and that he was unaware Gardner had been struck until several hours later. He also admitted to dismantling the gun and throwing it into a river. This case highlights a personal dispute that tragically escalated to deadly violence, leading to the arrest of a suspect with a criminal history who now faces serious charges related to the death of Carlton Gardner.
