Gang Member Convicted In Minneapolis Nightclub Shooting: Prosecutors

MINNEAPOLIS — Twenty-five-year-old Jawan Carroll was convicted of murder Wednesday in a deadly May 2021 downtown Minneapolis nightclub shooting.

The shooting at Monarch nightclub left two people dead and seven wounded.

A Hennepin County jury found Carroll guilty of two counts of intentional second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted second-degree murder.

According to prosecutors, Carroll was a member of "Tre Tres," a violent North Minneapolis street gang.

"This was a completely senseless act of violence, and I am thankful that justice has been done in this case," Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement.

"To all of those impacted by this tragic incident, I hope that this verdict can start to bring you some closure."

Carroll is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 12. He faces up to 40 years in prison.

At about 2 a.m. on May 22, 2021, officers responded to gunshots outside Monarch Nightclub located at 322 1st Avenue North in Minneapolis.

Police found a man's body on the sidewalk near the entrance to the nightclub.

A second man's body was found near the corner of 1st Avenue and 3rd Street, about a half block from the nightclub.

The two people killed were identified as 21-year-old Charlie Johnson of Golden Valley and 24-year-old Christopher Jones of Brooklyn Park.

Police found seven other people who were hit by gunfire while standing near the front of Monarch at the time of the shooting, according to the criminal complaint. They were treated and survived their injuries.

Surveillance video from the nightclub showed dozens of people around Monarch nightclub began to flee in a panic or duck for cover around 2 a.m., according to police.

Video also showed Carroll getting into a verbal confrontation with Jones the criminal complaint states.

After the confrontation, an associate of Carroll punched Jones in the head, authorities said. Carroll then pulled out a gun and began shooting at Jones, according to the criminal complaint.

Jones tried to flee but was blocked by a crowd on the sidewalk, so he stopped running and with a gun in his right hand began firing at Carroll, authorities said.

The two men continued shooting at one another on the sidewalk, according to the criminal complaint.

Jones eventually dropped to the sidewalk, where he was later found dead by officers, authorities said.