Months after the fatal shooting of motorist Ricky Cobb II by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper in Minneapolis for not having his rear lights on during a traffic stop, the officer has been charged with murder.
The family of the deceased and their attorney are seeking justice, questioning why the Black man was shot when video evidence indicates he did not have a weapon at the time of the incident.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 24, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that her office has filed charges against MSP Trooper Ryan Londregan. The charges include second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree manslaughter.
What Happened to Ricky Cobb II
On Monday, July 31, Cobb, 33, was pulled over on Interstate 94 near Lowry Avenue for a traffic violation — his tail lights were off. State troopers discovered he was also wanted for violating a no-contact order in a domestic case. In a released video, three troopers approached Cobb’s car — one on each side and one behind.
The trooper on the driver’s side repeatedly and forcefully requested Cobb exit, but he refused. He asked the officers if they had a warrant. They said they did not. Cobb then asked for his attorney. The request was ignored. Instead, the officers demanded his keys, and as he resisted, one trooper attempted to pull him out.
The video captured Cobb placing his hand on the gear shift before a trooper shoots him on the passenger side of the vehicle. A patrol vehicle captured the sound of the trooper’s gun on its dashcam and Cobb speeding off.
After a brief pursuit, they stopped on the highway’s left lane. The troopers attempted first aid, but Cobb succumbed to his injuries from gunshots while in their custody.
Cobb’s mother and her civil rights attorneys, Bakari Sellers and Harry Daniels have been on the front line with her representatives protesting and demanding justice.
The investigation led by…
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