In the early hours of Sunday, March 25, 2018, the life of 19-year-old Alexander M. LaGarde of Chanhassen, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis. The incident occurred shortly after midnight in the 2400 block of Ogema Place, within the Little Earth of United Tribes community. LaGarde, who was visiting the community, was standing on a sidewalk with a group of other young people when two men approached them.
According to accounts based
on surveillance footage and witness statements, LaGarde attempted to enter a nearby home but was unable to get inside. One of the men who had approached, later identified as 18-year-old Juan Antonio Vasquez Jr., began to exchange words with LaGarde. Vasquez then walked up the steps to where LaGarde was, looked directly into his face, pulled out a handgun, and fired multiple shots. LaGarde was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. A 14-year-old boy standing near LaGarde was also injured by shrapnel. Investigators later recovered over a dozen cartridge casings from the area.
In the days following the shooting, an arrest warrant was issued for Juan Antonio Vasquez Jr., who was considered a flight risk with ties to several counties and North Dakota. After a search involving multiple law enforcement agencies that lasted nearly two weeks, Vasquez was arrested. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and second-degree assault. Another man, Dakota LaFave, was also charged in connection with the incident.
In March 2019, Juan Vasquez Jr. pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder. As part of his plea, he admitted to treating LaGarde with particular cruelty and putting the public at greater risk. He was expected to receive a 39-year prison sentence. The killing prompted an outcry from the Little Earth community leadership, who expressed their grief and frustration over the ongoing gun violence that had claimed the life of the young man.
