In the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2020, the life of 20-year-old Edward Mathew Thomas Hodges Jr., a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Just before 3 a.m., the city's gunshot-detection system, ShotSpotter, was activated in the 2700 block of Dupont Avenue North, leading police to a grim discovery.
Multiple 911 calls also reported a disturbance and the sound of gunshots in the area, shattering the holiday's peace.
Upon their arrival, officers witnessed numerous people fleeing the scene on foot. They soon found Hodges lying between two residences, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. Despite the immediate response and efforts of law enforcement and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. His death marked the 78th homicide in Minneapolis that year, a significant increase from the previous year.
The investigation into the shooting was launched immediately, but details about who was responsible have remained elusive. The Minneapolis Police Department has not publicly released any detailed descriptions or the names of any potential suspects involved in the incident. To date, no arrests have been made in connection with the death of Edward Mathew Thomas Hodges Jr. The case remains an open and ongoing investigation, with authorities appealing to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough and bring closure to a grieving family.
