Johnathon J. Harris, aged 32, was tragically killed on February 20, 2014, in Minneapolis, MN. The incident occurred at a house on the 2900 block of Hillside Avenue North. Harris was shot and killed by Dashaunta Gomez, a 21-year-old resident of Minneapolis, following an altercation involving two other men.
In the hours leading up to the shooting, Harris, Gomez's stepfather Demetrias Al Cooper, and another unidentified man went to a bar.
Cooper and the unidentified man eventually left the bar, leaving Harris behind. This led to an argument between Cooper and the unidentified man, which escalated into a physical fight. Cooper then drove to the house on Hillside Avenue, dropped off the unidentified man, and returned with Gomez about half an hour later.
Upon returning, the argument resumed, and Harris, who had found his way back from the bar, was present. Cooper had previously threatened Harris, stating that he would have Gomez shoot him. Suspecting that Gomez was armed, Harris began to pat him down. At this point, Gomez pulled out a gun and fired twice, hitting Harris in the chest and killing him. Gomez later testified that the shooting was an act of self-defense, although Harris was unarmed.
A Hennepin County jury convicted Gomez of second-degree intentional murder and possession of a firearm while being prohibited from doing so. The jury also found that the presence of a 16-year-old boy who witnessed the shooting was an aggravating circumstance, allowing prosecutors to seek a sentence longer than the recommended 27 years. Gomez's sentencing was set for October 24, 2014.
Demetrias Al Cooper, aged 37, was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder in connection with Harris's death. He was indicted by a grand jury for aiding and abetting both first-degree and second-degree murder. Cooper's trial was scheduled to begin on December 1, 2014.
