On the afternoon of May 19, 2022, a tragic event unfolded in the Minneapolis suburb of Robbinsdale that claimed the life of 28-year-old Black male, Damone Marcel Rhodes. Around 3:40 p.m., police responded to reports of gunfire near the intersection of County Road 81 and 36th Avenue North. Upon their arrival, they discovered a vehicle riddled with bullet holes near Lakeview Terrace Park.
Inside the car, they found Damone Marcel Rhodes and a 24-year-old woman, Aaronesia Ortezia Clark, both of whom were deceased.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office later confirmed that both Rhodes and Clark had died from multiple gunshot wounds. The nature of the scene, with at least 15 bullet holes marking the vehicle, pointed to a violent and targeted drive-by shooting. Investigators believe the incident was not a random act of violence and have stated that there is no ongoing threat to the public. The shooting occurred in broad daylight, adding a layer of shock and audacity to the violent crime.
Shortly after the discovery of the victims, law enforcement located a suspect vehicle that had been abandoned in north Minneapolis. Despite this finding, no immediate suspects were identified in connection with the double homicide. Homicide investigators from the Robbinsdale Police Department, with the assistance of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office crime scene unit, began the process of examining both the victims' car and the abandoned suspect vehicle for evidence. As of the most recent updates, no arrests have been made in the case, and the investigation into the deaths of Damone Marcel Rhodes and Aaronesia Ortezia Clark remains ongoing.
