By Crime Watch MN
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – A St. Cloud man is facing a charge of second-degree intentional murder after three people were shot at a party last month, leaving one person dead and two others injured.
Deionte Jaewon Parker, 26, is also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and second-degree assault with a deadly weapon in the early morning incident that took place on Oct. 22 at a St. Cloud, Minn., residence on the 700 block of 6th Avenue South.
The shootings were in retaliation for a stabbing that occurred over the summer, according to the criminal complaint.
Law enforcement responded to the residence at about 3:55 a.m. on a report of shots fired and that a male victim had been shot.
Police found the first victim, subsequently identified as 34-year-old Antonio Harris Jr., shot in the jaw and abdomen. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other gunshot victims were located: one shot in the leg, the other shot in the foot.
One of the two surviving gunshot victims, who the complaint said had been involved in the previous stabbing incident, told police that Parker had pointed a gun at him inside the residence earlier that evening.
Harris was reportedly trying to negotiate a truce between the two sides prior to being shot at least four times. Parker ultimately shot the second victim in the leg as he tried to flee inside the house after Parker shot Harris. Bullets were also fired toward the residence.
Parker was identified as the shooter and the events were corroborated by multiple witnesses.
Additionally, law enforcement learned that approximately one week before the shooting, Harris and Parker were involved in a verbal altercation in downtown St. Cloud. During that confrontation, Parker made a gun-like motion with his hands, pointing it at Harris, an incident captured on surveillance video.
Minnesota court records show Parker has at least twelve prior convictions including multiple felonies, some for violent crimes, which prohibit him from possessing firearms.
Parker made his first court appearance on Wednesday and is being held on $3 million bail. His next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 20.
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
This article originally appeared at Alpha News and was reprinted with permission.
