In the early morning hours of November 23, 2016, a day before Thanksgiving, James Herron, a 42-year-old male member of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, was killed in his Prior Lake, Minnesota, home. His life was cut short in a violent home invasion that spiraled into a desperate police chase through the suburbs. The events of that night began when four individuals from the Minneapolis area set out with the intention of robbing Herron, allegedly targeting him for marijuana and money.
Wearing masks and gloves, the four suspects forced their way into the back of Herron's residence on Sioux Trail, located near the Mystic Lake Casino. Inside, they rounded up the occupants of the house, gathering them in the living room. The intruders found Herron in his bedroom, where he was shot once. They then dragged him into the living room with the others and demanded to know where the money was. When Herron refused to comply, one of the assailants gave him a countdown before shooting him again. After repeating the demand and receiving no answer, the gunman shot Herron in the head.
As police were dispatched to the scene around 2 a.m. following a report of a shooting, they spotted a vehicle speeding away from the residence. This initiated a high-speed chase that wound through the southwestern suburbs and onto Highway 169. The pursuit ended in Edina when police forced the vehicle off the road near an exit ramp. Three suspects exited the car and attempted to flee on foot. One of the men, identified as Derrick Zechariah Smith, turned and fired a handgun at the pursuing officers. Police returned fire, wounding Smith, who was then taken to a hospital for treatment.
In the aftermath, all four suspects were apprehended. Authorities identified them as Derrick Zechariah Smith, 28; Tyrel Lamar Patterson, 27; Brandy Lee Jaques, 39; and Jonte Glenn Robinson, 26. Robinson, who had fled the house on foot separately from the others, was later interviewed by police. Inside the vehicle, police found a costume mask and cash. Two handguns were recovered near where Smith was apprehended. The four suspects were subsequently charged with second-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and burglary.
