Murder Charges Filed 6 Years After Minneapolis Shooting, Police Announce

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A 35-year-old man has been charged with murder in a fatal Minneapolis shooting from six years ago, police announced Saturday.

Melvonte Peterson, who is currently incarcerated, was charged this week by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office in the Aug. 31, 2020, death of Omar Berkley, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.

He faces two counts of second-degree murder: intentional murder without premeditation and murder committed during a drive-by shooting.

MPD homicide investigators submitted the case to prosecutors after what the department described as an extensive investigation.

Police said additional witness testimony in late 2025, along with further evidence developed afterward, helped move the case forward and ultimately led to the charges.

The shooting happened on the 2900 block of Oliver Avenue North. Police said at the time that 911 callers reported a man down and a vehicle speeding away.

Officers found the man lying on the grass near the curb with gunshot wounds and gave him immediate aid, according to the department's 2020 release. He was taken to a hospital in grave condition and died shortly after arriving. Police described the suspect vehicle as a smaller, dark-colored SUV-style truck.

Police said Peterson has previous criminal convictions, including a firearms-related conviction stemming from his involvement in a July 8, 2016, drive-by shooting that killed his 2-year-old son, Le'Vonte King Jason Jones.

In announcing the charges, MPD urged anyone with information about a crime to come forward, saying no detail is too small and that no one should assume someone else has already told police what they know.

Tips can be shared anonymously with CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or submitted online. People whose information leads to an arrest may be eligible for a financial reward. The case number is 20-226681.