Richfield man charged with fatally shooting cousin during fight
An 18-year-old Richfield, Minnesota, man has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of his cousin.
Court records show Exon Alfonzo Sanchez Garzon was charged in Hennepin County court on Monday.
According to the criminal complaint, the shooting happened on Sunday at a house on the 200 block of West 92nd Street in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Responding officers found a man who had been shot multiple times lying near the driveway of the house, charges say. He died at the scene.
Witnesses in the area told officers that a fight led to the shooting, according to court documents.
Charges say officers then spoke to the homeowner, who was the victim's uncle. He said "a number of young men," including the victim, were hanging out and drinking in the driveway when Garzon and two of Garzon's relatives showed up. The victim's uncle said everyone "seemed to be getting along" until an argument started, leading to the fight.
According to court documents, surveillance video of the incident showed the victim in a chair getting punched "several times" by one of Garzon's relatives, and fighting among "several parties," charges say. At one point during the fight, Garzon is seen on video grabbing a pistol from his cross-body bag and shooting it around three times at the victim.
Charges say he then took a step back, pointed the gun at the victim and shot around five more times. Garzon then ran away from the scene. He was found and arrested later that same day.
Garzon's girlfriend was with him when he was taken into custody. She told police that she picked up Garzon in Minneapolis, and that "he was crying and said he killed his cousin," according to charges.
If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.