Minneapolis, MN (MinnesotaNow) – A convicted “shooter” for a violent Minnesota gang has been sentenced to life in prison.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Minnesota says 29-year-old Gregory Hamilton was convicted of the murder of a man who was mistaken for a member of a rival gang. A federal jury found him, along with two other men, guilty of federal racketeering charges, as well as counts of conspiracy and using a firearm to cause death.
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Evidence Pointed to Wide Variety of Violent Crimes
The news release on the case says the Minneapolis man was a member of the Highs gang and that evidence presented at trial proved members of the gang committed murders, narcotics trafficking, weapons violations, burglaries, assaults, and robberies. The jury also heard testimony that members of the Highs are expected to retaliate against members of the rival Lows gang.
Victim Mistaken For Member of Rival Gang
Federal prosecutors allege that in August 2021, Hamilton and other members of the Highs gang targeted Darryl Wells Jr. after mistaking him for a member of the Lows gang while seeking retribution for the murder of a prominent Highs gang member. Prosecutors say surveillance cameras inside a store captured Hamilton and another man shooting the victim, who initially managed to run away.
A news release on Hamilton’s sentencing says the victim was then chased into a nearby alley, where he was killed. He had been shot at least eight times.
Minneapolis Turned Into Open-Air Shooting Range
In sentencing Hamilton to life in prison, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel stated that the murder “was gang revenge, pure and simple.” The judge’s sentencing statement also indicated the Highs gang had turned Minneapolis into “an open-air shooting range,” victimizing not only targeted individuals but also innocent bystanders.
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