Minneapolis police announced several new arrests Wednesday in connection with last week’s violent crime wave that left six people dead in just three days. The arrests come after James Ortley, the alleged perpetrator of a quadruple homicide, was already in custody and charged, according to CBS Minnesota.
Police have now apprehended suspects in two additional fatal shootings that occurred on April 30, including the killing of a 34-year-old man near East 21st Street and a 50-year-old man shot near East 30th Street. The intensified law enforcement response represents a coordinated effort to address the city’s worst outbreak of violence this year.
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Gang Connection Emerges in Mass Shooting
Court documents revealed that Ortley, 34, allegedly shot five acquaintances “execution-style” in the head while sitting in a car with them on April 29. Four victims died from their injuries. Prosecutors say Ortley has ties to the Native Mob, a criminal street gang operating in south Minneapolis, according to FOX 9.
“This was a shocking spree of violence that tore at the fabric of our community,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. The arrest warrant indicates Ortley allegedly admitted his street name was “Baby James” during an October 2023 interview with authorities in a separate homicide investigation.
Victims Identified as Native Community Mourns
Among the victims in Ortley’s alleged shooting were 17-year-old Joseph Goodwin and 20-year-old twin sisters Maleice and Merelle White. Merelle died at the scene while Maleice survived with injuries. The city’s Native American community canceled celebrations planned for American Indian Month following the shootings…