Minneapolis records 32nd homicide on National Night Out

Stunningly poor timing: While neighborhoods blocked 1,100 streets all over Minneapolis yesterday for National Night Out, and neighbors shared a bite to eat and some conversation, a man was gunned down in North Minneapolis.

Minneapolis police found the man dead in a vacant lot near the corner of Penn Avenue N. and 26th Avenue N.

"Obviously, it's very tragic that this occurred on a night when we're celebrating the successes we've had and working with the community to reduce crime," Fourth Precinct inspector Mike Martin told MPR. "This is what National Night Out actually is about is preventing incidents like this."

MPD pokesman Sgt. William Palmer said last night that police detained a few people in the area for questioning, but at this point the circumstances leading up to the shooting are unknown.

The shooting marks the 32nd homicide in Minneapolis this year, compared to 19 total for all of 2009.

Shooting Location:

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Previous 2010 Homicides:

• July 28: Carl Antoine Miller, 47
• July 25: Gilbert Jordan, 28
• June 21: Cordale Moore, 26
• July 11: Lashon Scott, 27
• July 11: Tirso Cruz Gomez, 24
• July 5: Anthony Titus, 16
• July 2: Lionel Franklin, 38
• June 13: Andrew James Battees, 16
• June 12: Phelandis Depure Jackson, 29
• June 10: Matthew Deon Johnson, 22
• May 29: Cedric Hunter Jr., 18
• May 24: Derrick Gregory Martin, 20
• May 21: Anton Warren, 31
• May 21: Romaze Stevens, 30
• May 4: DeCarl Antonio Starr, 18
• April 28: Amy Terborg, 28
• April 8: Tony Gale, 37
• April 2: Pauline Nash, 42
• March 30: Kenneth Sims, 21
• March 23: Robert Blake Castonguay, 26
• March 17: James E. King Jr., 20
• February 27: Alisha Neely, 17
• February 13: Drew Heinkle, 25
• February 4: Michael Fonta, 45
• January 17: Marvin Ray Maynard, 16
• January 20: Orlando Keith Nunn, 21
• January 8: Walter Lee Dolley Jr., 19
• January 6: Abdifatah Warfa, 28
• January 6: Mohamed Warfa, 30
• January 6: Anwar Mohammed, 31
• January 2: Dontae D. Johnson, 31