Nearly a decade after a midday shootout erupted on Minneapolis's North Side and spilled onto Olson Memorial Highway, prosecutors say they finally have their man. A convicted killer already serving a lengthy prison term was charged Monday in the 2016 killing of 25-year-old Derrick Rodgers.
Hennepin Prosecutors File Second-Degree Murder Charge
Hennepin County prosecutors have charged 30-year-old Stevevontae Dellshawn Champion with one count of second-degree murder, according to FOX 9. The criminal complaint accuses Champion of chasing down Rodgers and fatally shooting him during the chaos of that May 11, 2016, incident.
Victim And Scene Tied To A Long-Running Gang Feud
Rodgers was found dead after gunfire erupted near Oliver Avenue and the Olson Highway service road, as first reported by the Star Tribune. Investigators at the time connected the killing to an escalating North Side feud between street factions locally known as the "Highs" and the "Lows."
What The Charging Papers Allege
According to FOX 9, the complaint lays out a rolling gun battle between two cars, a red Dodge and a black Impala, at Penn Avenue North and Olson Memorial Highway. Witnesses told investigators that shots came first from the Dodge. One passenger later admitted firing at a home where Champion lived, the charging papers state.
The complaint goes on to say that a witness told police Champion then chased Rodgers along Olson Memorial and shot him in the street, turning an already dangerous shootout into a deadly execution in broad daylight.
Champion's Prior Conviction And Prison Status
Champion is no stranger to Hennepin County courtrooms. He pleaded guilty in 2018 to a separate deadly drive-by shooting that took place in 2017 and was sentenced in Hennepin County for that earlier homicide, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Minnesota Department of Corrections records show Champion is currently incarcerated at MCF Rush City, with an anticipated release date of April 18, 2039. The county attorney's office materials and state DOC records provide the documented background on his prior conviction and custody status.
Legal Next Steps And Possible Penalties
The new case charges Champion with second-degree murder under Minnesota law, a felony that carries a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison under state statute. Any punishment, if there is a conviction, would be guided by the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines and could be influenced by Champion's prior homicide conviction.
For now, the allegations remain just that. Prosecutors still have to prove the case in court, and Champion is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty.
