Minneapolis Teen Charged in Drive-By Shooting Death of Bicyclist

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — A Minneapolis teenager has been charged with second-degree murder in the drive-by shooting death of a bicyclist, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced last week.

Marcel Tyrone Farr, 17, was charged in the juvenile petition with the Wednesday murder of 19-year-old Tabyis Paskins, according to a news release.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed the motion to have Farr certified as an adult.

"This is another stupid killing," Freeman said. "Mr. Paskins wasn’t even the intended target and Mr. Farr’s motivation appears to be that he thought the other victim had once been part of a gang he didn’t like. This appalling gun violence must end."

According to the juvenile petition, Paskins and his friend, identified only as J.H.R., were riding their bicycles north on Logan Avenue about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. As they passed a house at Logan Avenue near Hillside Avenue, one of several young men and women there yelled out J.H.R.’s name. He ignored them and kept pedaling with Paskins.

Several of those people jumped into a red Jeep and caught up with the two bicyclists about two blocks north. Farr leaned out of the rear passenger window, called J.H.R by his name and said, "Ain’t you with the Pack?" J.H.R. said he didn’t do that anymore and Paskins responded, "that’s good because I would have killed you," the petition states.

As the two started to pedal away, J.H.R. heard gunshots and saw Farr firing a handgun. Paskins said he was hit and went a little further before collapsing. Nearby construction workers called 911, but Paskins died later that morning, according to the petition.

With J.H.R. pointing the way, police returned to where the two victims had first encountered the group. The red Jeep was parked outside a house, the owner of which allowed police inside, where they found several juveniles, including Farr. He admitted to police that he did shoot his gun several times, according to the petition.

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