A Hopkins woman is now facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with a December shooting outside an Uptown Minneapolis market that left a woman dead, prosecutors say. According to a Hennepin County criminal complaint, the shooter allegedly fired from a vehicle after a confrontation outside the store, then drove off, leaving the victim later found unresponsive with an apparent gunshot wound to the chest. Authorities say the suspect spent weeks avoiding an arrest warrant before officers finally took her into custody at a Hopkins residence. The case is still unfolding as court proceedings get underway.
Charges Stem From Dec. 10 Confrontation
Prosecutors filed the criminal complaint on Jan. 9, charging 36-year-old Champaine Mack with second-degree murder in the killing, as reported by KARE 11. The complaint says surveillance audio and video from the Minneapolis Market captured two women fighting outside the store while Mack sat inside a vehicle nearby. Investigators say the footage appears to show the defendant firing toward the group from inside the car, then driving away.
What Witnesses Told Investigators
The complaint states that multiple witnesses told police they saw two women fighting outside the market just before shots were fired. Several witnesses said Mack shot from inside her vehicle. One witness reported seeing Mack put a handgun into her sweatshirt pocket immediately before hearing a gunshot. A security guard told investigators that Mack, who the complaint says is sometimes called "Champ," asked him to park her car in a nearby garage because "her boyfriend was after her." Prosecutors say those statements form a key part of their narrative of what happened that night.
Forensic And Video Evidence
Police tracked the vehicle to a parking garage near the Minneapolis Market and executed a search warrant. According to the complaint, investigators found a discharged cartridge casing in the backseat and what appeared to be bullet damage on the front passenger door. Prosecutors say surveillance video and audio back up the witness accounts, showing the fight outside the store and the driver apparently firing from the driver's side window before fleeing, KARE 11 reported.
Arrest And Next Steps
Investigators arrested Mack on Tuesday evening at her home in Hopkins after what prosecutors describe as at least a month of avoiding an active arrest warrant. She is currently jailed on the murder charge and is expected to appear in Hennepin County District Court for an initial hearing. Prosecutors will still have to prove the allegations in court, and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office has not yet said whether it might pursue additional charges or offer further public comment.
Legal Implications
Second-degree murder is a felony under Minnesota law, and both intentional and unintentional second-degree murder carry a maximum sentence of up to 40 years in prison under Minnesota Statutes § 609.19. Prosecutors say the complaint, surveillance footage, and physical evidence recovered from the vehicle will be central as the case moves toward arraignment and any pretrial hearings.
Court proceedings are pending while investigators continue their work. Upcoming arraignment dates and new filings are expected to appear in Hennepin County District Court records as the case progresses.
