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Tim Nelson

Four charged in shooting death of Prior Lake man

A State Patrol squad on U.S. Highway 169
A State Patrol squad and the apparent suspect vehicle sit nose to nose off U.S. Highway 169 in Edina, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016.
Courtesy of KARE

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Four people have been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and burglary in connection with the shooting death of a Prior Lake man the day before Thanksgiving.

Scott County prosecutors issued a criminal complaint against Derrick Zechariah Smith, 28; Tyrel Lamar Patterson, 27; and Brandy Lee Jaques, 39; all of Minneapolis; and Jonte Glenn Robinson, 26, of Brooklyn Park. They were arrested in connection with the slaying of James Herron, 42, at his home just after 2 a.m. last Wednesday.

The shooting also led to a car chase through the southwestern suburbs, ending in Edina, when — according to a criminal complaint filed Monday — Smith shot at pursuing Eden Prairie police and was himself shot and wounded.

The Scott County complaint states the four suspects met up in Minneapolis and headed to the Little Six Casino in Prior Lake. On the way, Smith allegedly decided to buy marijuana from a home nearby.

Robinson told police that the four of them forced their way in the back door, wearing masks and gloves. The complaint says that Smith and Patterson, relying on information from Jaques, went through Herron's home and found him in his bedroom — where he was apparently shot once.

They brought Herron out into his living room, where they'd assembled all the occupants of the home and demanded money. Another victim of the robbery said the assailants gave Herron a countdown and shot him again. They said the gunman repeated his demand and started another countdown.

"Herron would not tell the suspects and he was shot in the head," the complaint said.

Three of the suspects fled in a car, and Robinson told investigators he ran away on foot. Police were only a block away when they got the call about the shooting, and they got there in time to pursue a vehicle leaving.

The car was eventually stopped in Edina. A criminal complaint against Smith said he fled that car on foot, pointed a gun at pursuing officers and told them he was going to shoot. He was wounded when police returned fire. They found two handguns when they approached Smith, the complaint said, including one that matched the description of the weapon in the Herron killing.

Jaques, Robinson and Patterson are scheduled for a bail hearing in Scott County District Court Tuesday. Smith is scheduled for a court hearing in Minneapolis Tuesday on an assault charge for shooting at police.