A third man has been given a long prison term for his role in the fatal shooting at a north Minneapolis market 1½ years ago.
Keon E. Pruitt, 20, of Minneapolis, was sentenced in Hennepin County District Court last week to term of more than 34½ years after pleading guilty to second-degree intentional murder in connection with the shooting of 25-year-old Darryl R. Wells Jr. of Minneapolis on Aug. 8, 2021, at the Skyline Market in the 1800 block of N. Glenwood Avenue.
With credit for time in jail since his release, Pruitt can expect to serve roughly 23½ years in prison and the balance on supervised release.
Co-defendants Dantrell D. Johnson, 29, and Gregory D. Hamilton, 27, both of Minneapolis, each pleaded guilty earlier and were sentenced to 35-year terms. With credit for time in jail since their arrests, both men can expect to serve about 22¼ years in prison and the balance on supervised release.
A fourth defendant, William R. Johnson, 32, of Lino Lakes, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go on trial on March 27. Prosecutors said the Johnsons are not related.
The charges did not reveal a motive for the killing of Wells and added that he had "no known gang affiliation" at the time of his death. However, the charges against the four pointed out that the killing was one of four shootings that occurred that day at known gang hangouts.
According to prosecutors:
Wells parked his vehicle in front of the market and went inside. William Johnson parked behind Wells' vehicle, which also was occupied by Dantrell Johnson and Hamilton. The two passengers went in the store.
Store surveillance showed the two approaching Wells. Dantrell Johnson fired guns from each hand, and Hamilton shot Wells with one gun. Both kept shooting at Wells as he fled outside.
A wounded Wells ran from the store and made slight contact with a stolen car being driven by Pruitt, all the while as Dantrell Johnson and Hamilton continued shooting.
Wells ran and collapsed in an alley nearby. Pruitt drove into the alley, and two unnamed members of a street gang got out and fired several shots at Wells. He was declared dead about two hours later at HCMC.
All four defendants were found and arrested over roughly the following three weeks.
