MOORHEAD — A New Brighton, Minn., man faces charges of first-degree attempted murder and other counts in connection with a shooting at a south Moorhead Hornbacher's grocery store Sunday evening, Dec. 2, that sent a juvenile to the hospital for treatment.
Kevin Demetri Blocker, 23, faces seven felony charges in Clay County District Court, including two counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault.
On Monday, a uthorities detained Blocker leaving a restaurant in south Moorhead along with two other people, including Sabrina Anne Marten, 21, of Moorhead. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday, Dec. 5, that Marten was released from custody pending further investigation.
ADVERTISEMENT
According to court documents:
Police were called to the Hornbacher's parking lot about 5:20 p.m. Sunday on a report of a gunshot.
Officers spoke to a juvenile who said he had been shot in the abdomen. They also spoke with a female who said she was driving around with her male companions and they were in the store's parking lot when another car pulled up and a man got out and approached her car.
She said she saw the man pull a gun from his waistband, and as she tried to quickly drive away, he fired a round through a window of her vehicle.
The juvenile who was shot in the woman's car told police that as the gunman walked up to the vehicle and pointed his gun into a partially-open window, he demanded that the occupants give them "his s***."
The juvenile said a struggle for the gun ensued and the assailant stepped back and fired into the car.
Police ran a check on the suspect vehicle, and the car came back as belonging to Blocker, the court documents said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The juvenile who told police he had been shot later told authorities that the shooter was trying to steal marijuana from him, and he told investigators he regretted not handing it over because it may have prevented him from being shot.
One of the witnesses questioned by police said they had set up the marijuana deal via social media.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office said the juvenile who was injured was treated at a local hospital and released.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to search a Moorhead home where Blocker had been staying. The search revealed a pistol hidden in a bedroom wall.
A bullet was found lodged in the webbing of a seat belt in the car that was shot at, the court documents said.
Blocker was being held Wednesday at the Clay County Jail. His bail was set at $750,000 with conditions or $1 million without conditions.
