On a Thursday night in Minneapolis, the life of 30-year-old Black man, Travis Washington, was brought to a violent end. It was June 16, 2016, and inside his own home on the 3500 block of Knox Avenue North, Washington was shot multiple times. Police responded to the sound of muffled gunshots and discovered his body. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner would later confirm that he died from multiple gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide.
In the immediate aftermath, investigators spoke with people in the area, but no arrests were made right away. Witnesses reported seeing two men leaving the house shortly after the gunshots were heard.
The tragic discovery was made by Washington's girlfriend, who arrived home to find him lying in a pool of blood. She ran outside, screaming and holding a baby in her arms. Inside, police found Washington on the dining room floor with ten bullet wounds. Friends and family remembered Washington as a devoted family man who had moved past a teenage party lifestyle to become more of a homebody. His sister, Shantoya Young, described him as a bit of a loner who spent most of his time at home. Those who knew him struggled to understand why he would be targeted in such a way, describing him as a caring and loyal person.
Within days, the investigation led to an arrest. A 39-year-old man with a significant criminal history, Chris Scott, also known as Marcell Scott, was taken into custody. Investigators found Scott's fingerprints at the scene, which tied him directly to the crime. According to a witness who was present, he, Scott, and Washington had gone to Washington's home that night. An argument broke out between Scott and Washington, which ended with Scott pulling out a handgun and shooting Washington multiple times. Following the shooting, the witness and Scott fled the scene.
Chris Scott was charged with second-degree murder. During his trial, which lasted two weeks, his defense argued that he was not the shooter. However, the evidence presented by the prosecution, including fingerprint evidence, witness testimony, city surveillance footage, and phone records, convinced the jury of his guilt. After deliberating for only three hours, the jury found Chris Scott guilty of second-degree intentional murder and illegal possession of a firearm. As the verdict was read, Travis Washington's family wept in the courtroom. Scott was later sentenced for the murder of Travis Washington.
