A fatal shooting outside a northwest Rochester apartment complex near Essex Park late Thursday afternoon has left one man dead, another in custody, and a neighborhood rattled. Police moved quickly from a tense crime scene on 41st Street NW to an arrest the next morning, and investigators are now urging anyone who saw or recorded anything to speak up.
Scene and response
Officers were called to the 900 block of 41st Street NW around 5:15 p.m. Thursday for reports of a person shot outside an apartment building, according to CBS Minnesota. When police arrived, the area quickly filled with squad cars and crime scene tape as officers locked down parts of the neighborhood and began a homicide investigation.
Neighbors reported a heavy law enforcement presence, with traffic blocked and residents kept back while investigators got to work. Even as officers stressed there was no known ongoing threat to the public, the Rochester Police Department still asked people to steer clear of the 900 block to give detectives space to canvas the area and collect evidence.
Suspect and victim identified
By Friday morning, police said they had a suspect in custody. The Rochester Police Department identified him as 34-year-old Derrell Williams, who was arrested without incident at about 10:00 a.m., according to WJON. He is expected to face homicide-related charges.
The Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office identified the man who was killed as 31-year-old Carlton Gardner. Investigators said early findings indicate the shooting was not random, and the case remains very much active as detectives work to piece together what led up to the gunfire.
Investigation and neighborhood impact
Rochester Police Communications Coordinator Amanda Grayson confirmed that officers were treating the case as an active investigation and again urged the public to avoid the immediate area while the scene was processed, as reported by KROC-AM. Investigators and local crews stayed on site for hours after the shooting, methodically working the block and limiting vehicle access.
Residents described a prolonged, intense police presence as officers went door-to-door and searched for cameras that might have captured crucial footage. Police say that kind of neighborhood cooperation can be key in pulling together a clear timeline for what happened.
What comes next
According to WJON, investigators plan to forward the case to the Olmsted County Attorney's Office for a charging review as they continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. As of the latest updates, no formal charges had yet appeared in court records, and officials have not released any additional information about a possible motive.
The Rochester Police Department is asking anyone who witnessed the incident, has surveillance video, or otherwise believes they may have relevant information to contact the department's tip line and help detectives fill in the remaining gaps.
