Baby In Critical Condition After Pregnant Woman Killed In MPLS

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A baby who was delivered after the mother was fatally shot earlier this week is in critical condition, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said Wednesday. The baby's father is accused of shooting the mother and one other person Sunday evening.

The woman, 27-year-old Leneesha Columbus, was 20 weeks pregnant at the time of her death, authorities said.

Zachary Robinson, 27, of Minneapolis faces charges of second-degree murder, second-degree assault and felon in possession of a gun. An arrest warrant was issued, authorities said, and police are looking for Robinson.

According to the criminal complaint, police responded to a report of a shooting at the George Floyd Memorial site, at 38th Street East and Chicago Avenue South.

They found a shot-up Ford Explorer a block away at 37th Street East and Elliot Avenue, with Columbus outside the vehicle and bystanders performing life-saving measures, police said.

Police said witnesses told them they saw Robinson and Columbus arguing near her Explorer in a parking lot on Chicago Avenue between 37th and 38th streets. As she started to drive north on Chicago Avenue, Robinson fired several shots at the SUV and then returned to the parking lot while putting the gun in his waistband, according to investigators.

A man who was working as a peacekeeper at the memorial confronted Robinson in the parking lot and asked him what he was doing. Robinson pulled the handgun from his waistband and shot the man in his right foot, the complaint states.

Columbus died at the hospital from a gunshot wound to her upper back, but doctors were able to deliver her baby.

The second victim arrived later at the hospital for treatment of his foot wound, the complaint states.

Robinson has a history of felony assaults dating back to 2009 and is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition, police said.