In the heart of Minneapolis, a life was tragically cut short on September 26, 2023. Curtis Leroy Johnson, a 37-year-old Black/African American man, was fatally shot in the chest behind a residence on the 2400 block of 16th Avenue South. The incident occurred around 1 p.m., and despite being rushed to Hennepin Healthcare, Johnson succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 1:41 p.m.
Initially, the Minneapolis Police Department's investigation into the shooting yielded no
immediate arrests, leaving a community searching for answers. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office officially identified Johnson as the victim of the homicide. For a time, the case remained unsolved, adding to the grief of those who knew him.
A significant development in the case came with the identification and subsequent arrest of Kenneth Joel McKinnis. In August 2024, nearly a year after the fatal shooting, a jury found McKinnis guilty of second-degree murder in connection with Johnson's death. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office successfully secured a conviction, leading to a sentence of 35.5 years in prison for McKinnis. The motive for the shooting was reportedly a dispute over $20 at a homeless encampment.
