Rock Thrower Targeted Somali Businesses In Minneapolis: Police

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis man has been charged with five counts of damage to property and bias crimes for smashing the windows of Somali-owned businesses, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

Harlin St John, 36, was charged in two separate complaints with two counts of first-degree damage to property, two counts of second-degree damage to property because of bias and one count of third-degree damage to property because of bias.

According to the criminal complaint, around 4 a.m. Sept. 18, police were called to East Franklin Avenue and 24th Avenue South because a man was throwing rocks through business windows. Police found several businesses with large double pane windows broken.

A witness who lived above one of the stores heard glass breaking and saw a man throwing rocks at the various businesses.

Police reviewed surveillance videos showing the rock thrower. The next day, police saw St John, who matched the description of the suspect down to wearing the same clothes, the complaint states.

At one point, police say he told officers that he broke the windows and he would pay for them. Later, St John, who is white, told investigators he broke the windows in retaliation for someone shooting at his family members — he believed it was Somalis and said he hates "the Somalis," according to the complaint.

The damage to the the businesses is estimated at more than $8,000, the complaint states.

St John is expected to make his first court appearance Monday. Other cases have been submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office and additional charges are likely, according to a news release.