Friends and relatives on Friday identified a 27-year-old woman who police say was fatally shot in a domestic dispute in north Minneapolis' Jordan neighborhood on Thanksgiving night.
Responding officers found Raven B. Gant, identified in social media postings, suffering from a gunshot wound as her toddler daughter stood next to her, according to family members and officials. Her death was the city's 41st homicide of the year.
A 41-year-old male suspect who was arrested at the scene was being held without bail on Friday, pending charges. The Star Tribune generally does not name suspects before they are charged.
A check of the man's criminal history turned up a handful of traffic infractions and one misdemeanor conviction for fifth-degree assault. It wasn't immediately clear whether he had any pending cases.
As homicide detectives continued to sort through what happened, questions emerged about the police response to the incident and whether officers waited too long to respond to the scene.
According to a police report, officers were called at least twice to the residence in question, in the 2600 block of N. James Avenue, on Thursday night. The first time, responding officers didn't see any activity inside the home and asked dispatchers to call the 911 caller back for more information.
According to emergency dispatch audio, a male 911 caller reported that his ex-girlfriend showed up and "kicked the caller in the face."
"Female is still on site after she kicked the caller in the face," a dispatcher relayed to officers.
In a subsequent 911 call, the man said he was waiting by the front door because she remained on the property.
Minutes later, the domestic assault escalated to a shooting, with a dispatcher telling responding officers, "There's a child screaming, 'Stop!' in the background."
When police went to the home a second time, about 10:20 p.m., they found the suspect at the front door and arrested him. On searching the man, they found a loaded revolver in his pocket that they believe was used in the shooting, officials said.
Inside the residence, they found Gant lying on the floor with a gunshot wound. Officers administered aid before paramedics arrived and took over, officials said. Gant's daughter was standing over her mother when police arrived, they said.
Gant was taken to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale, where she died a short time later, according to a police news release.
Police so far haven't released any information about the exact nature of the suspect's relationship with Gant, but the two appear to have been romantically involved in the past.
Hours after Gant's death, messages of grief flooded her Facebook page, where she was remembered as a true friend to many and someone who lived her life to the fullest.
"I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to meet you and call you a friend!" one woman wrote. "Such a beautiful person was taken from us!"
