On the afternoon of Saturday, December 7, 2024, the life of Ramone Rashawn Blue, a 23-year-old Black man from Stewartville, Minnesota, was ended by gunfire. The shooting happened around 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of a business on the 8000 block of Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Park. When police officers arrived, they found Ramone and another man with gunshot wounds and began providing medical aid.
Both men were rushed to North Memorial Health Hospital.
Ramone, who had been shot multiple times, succumbed to his injuries. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled his death a homicide. The second victim, who was shot in the neck and leg, was seriously wounded but expected to survive.
The Brooklyn Park Police Department launched an investigation, learning that the shooter had fled the scene before they arrived. Investigators obtained surveillance footage that showed a BMW pull into the parking lot and wait for the two men to walk outside. According to court documents, the driver of the BMW then fired 16 rounds at Ramone and his companion, who returned fire. The BMW sped away after the shootout and was later found abandoned. By tracking a phone number associated with the suspect and executing several search warrants, police identified a person of interest.
A few days later, police arrested Marquan Deshaun Tucker of Coon Rapids. Tucker was formally charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and a drive-by shooting. Investigators reported that they believe the shooting was gang-motivated. Court documents stated that Ramone was believed to be a member of the "Lows" gang and that Tucker was an accused member of the rival "Highs" gang, with the killing allegedly done for the benefit of his gang.
Marquan Deshaun Tucker pleaded not guilty to all charges. As of his last court appearance, he was scheduled to stand trial beginning on October 20, 2025, in Hennepin County District Court.
