Man, 19, pleads guilty to attempted murder for shooting of Minneapolis police officer
Moments before his trial was set to begin, a 19-year-old man pled guilty Monday morning to shooting nd wounding a Minneapolis police officer last summer and looks to serve around a decade in prison.
Fredrick Davis Jr. admitted to firing a dozen shots as part of his guilty plea to one count of attempted second-degree intentional murder. He's the second suspect to plead guilty in the Aug. 11 shooting of MPD Officer Jacob Spies, who was struck in the back of the shoulder and out of work for months.
Spies, a seven-year veteran with MPD, returned to work full-time in November. The department was asked for comment shortly after Davis entered his plea in Hennepin County District Court. Messages were also left with Davis' public defender and prosecutors.
When Davis returns to court May 16, District Judge Hilary Caligiuri can impose a sentence ranging from 11 to 13 years, according to plea terms.
In December, a teenager also pled guilty and was sentenced for his role in the shooting.
William Ward Jr., 17, who shot at Spies but did not strike him, was charged with attempted second-degree murder. As part of his plea, Ward is receiving treatment at the Red Wing juvenile facility and will remain on extended probation until he's 21. If he violates probation, the court could impose a 13-year adult sentence.
Chief Brian O'Hara said in a statement to the Star Tribune at the time that he stands with Spies and his family.
"We are confident that justice will be served, and we cannot ever forget the traumatic effect that violence like this has on its victims, their families, and entire neighborhoods," O'Hara said.
Just before 8 p.m. Aug. 11, officers observed a white Chevrolet Equinox in the area of a robbery that had just occurred in north Minneapolis. The Chevy initially pulled over but then sped away, according to the charges.
Spies was driving alone in the unmarked vehicle as part of a focused enforcement detail when he saw the Chevy about an hour later and pursued it for about a mile. As he crested a hill, Spies noticed the Chevy parked with its lights off. Suddenly he was hit by a volley of automatic gunfire and felt his arm go numb.
He drove off and a backup officer pulled him from the vehicle and raced him to the hospital. Responding officers later spotted the Chevy and initiated a high-speed chase that continued for 26 blocks until the Chevy crashed into a parked car.
Charges do not list a motive for the shooting, or indicate whether the suspects knew they were targeting law enforcement. In addition to driving an unmarked sedan with tinted windows, Spies was wearing a blue Minneapolis police T-shirt rather than full uniform.
Investigators found two firearms in the car: a fully automatic Glock 19, equipped with a switch, on the front floorboard of Davis' seat, as well as a Polymer 80 9 mm "ghost gun" without serial numbers in the back where Ward was sitting.
Preliminary ballistics evidence suggests the Glock fired 12 shots and the 9 mm fired three.
