On August 14, 2023, a tragic incident occurred on Raspberry Island in St. Paul, Minnesota, resulting in the death of 20-year-old Marcus Anthony Baker Jr. The shooting took place around 9 p.m. when a large group of people had gathered on the island. According to police reports, an altercation broke out, possibly related to loud music being played.
Baker was in the back seat of a Chevrolet Suburban, playing music by a local rap artist affiliated with East Side gangs.
A man, later identified as Romello Markell Ifonlaja-Randle, approached Baker and told him to turn off the music. When Baker refused, Ifonlaja-Randle allegedly hit him in the face and then shot him as Baker tried to exit the vehicle.
The scene was described as chaotic by responding officers, who found Baker with three gunshot wounds. He was transported to Regions Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Baker's death marked St. Paul's 23rd homicide of 2023.
Following an investigation, police arrested two suspects on August 30, 2023. Romello Markell Ifonlaja-Randle, a 23-year-old man from Maplewood, was charged with multiple felonies, including second-degree murder with intent, second-degree murder without intent, crime committed for the benefit of a gang, and illegal possession of a firearm.
The investigation revealed that the dispute was likely gang-related, stemming from tensions between East Side and West Side gangs in St. Paul. Investigators used surveillance footage, DNA evidence, and phone records to connect Ifonlaja-Randle to the crime. A 'ghost gun' believed to be the murder weapon was recovered from the scene, with both Baker's and Ifonlaja-Randle's DNA found on it.
On October 21, 2024, Ifonlaja-Randle pleaded guilty to one count each of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm as a felon. His sentencing hearing was scheduled for January 27, 2025. The case highlighted ongoing concerns about gang violence and gun-related crimes in the St. Paul area.
