Minnesota trooper who shot Ricky Cobb II during traffic stop charged with murder
A Minnesota trooper who fatally shot a 33-year-old motorist during a July traffic stop was charged Wednesday with murder.
Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Ryan Londregan was also charged with first-degree assault and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Ricky Cobb II, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's office said in a statement. If convicted, the punishment for second-degree unintentional murder under Minnesota sentencing guidelines is between 128 months and five years, the statement said.
Moriarty said Londregan did not follow his training during the deadly incident, which was captured on body camera footage.
“Our hearts are with Ricky Cobb’s family today, who are grieving an unimaginable loss,” Moriarty said. “I know that they are devastated and will continue to feel this loss for the rest of their lives.
Londregan’s attorney, Chris Madel, called the trooper a "hero" and criticized Moriarty in a video statement.
"This county attorney is literally out of control," Madel said. "Open season on law enforcement must end, and it’s going to end with this case."
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What happened during the traffic stop?
Cobb, a Black man, was stopped on July 21 for driving on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis without his lights on, according to the criminal complaint. Twenty minutes after the initial stop, Londregan arrived on the scene and a trooper who is not named in the complaint told him Cobb was wanted for violating a protective order in nearby Ramsey County, though there was no outstanding arrest warrant.
The trooper told Londregan that Ramsey County officials wanted Cobb arrested and then repeatedly asked Cobb to get out of his vehicle without telling him why, the complaint said. As the trooper told Cobb he was under arrest, Londregan unlocked and opened the passenger door of Cobb's car.
Cobb then put the car in drive and took his foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to move forward slowly, according to the complaint. Within seconds, the other trooper leaned into driver's side of the vehicle, Londregan told Cobb to get out of the car, and then shot Cobb twice.
The complaint said after the shooting, Cobb's vehicle accelerated forward and the troopers fell to the ground. The car traveled about a quarter-mile down the road and collided with a median. The troopers followed Cobb in their squad cars and attempted to provide medical aid, but Cobb died at the scene, according to the complaint.
The Minnesota State Patrol declined to provide information about Londregan's race.
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Cobb's family calls for justice
After Cobb's death, Gov. Tim Walz said on social media he spoke with Cobb's mother and promised a "swift, thorough investigation." Moriarty said in a statement she asked the Minnesota Public Safety Department’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.to prioritize the investigation.
Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro, the Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Cobb’s relatives gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center in August to demand the troopers involved in Cobb’s death be fired and charged.
Nyra Fields-Miller broke down at a news conference as she described the pain of losing her son in one of the many deadly traffic stops involving people of color to spark backlash.
“I want justice for my son," she said.
Jill Frankfurt, a spokesperson for the Minnesota State Patrol, said Londregan will remain on paid leave while the Department of Public Safety’s internal affairs division investigates the incident. Frankfurt said the state patrol is also conducting a critical incident review, which "will examine and inform our training and policies."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minnesota trooper Ryan Londregan charged with murder of Black motorist
