Minnesota State Trooper Who Murdered Man During Traffic Stop Faces Charges

A Minnesota state trooper, Ryan Londregan, faces serious charges, including second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop in Minneapolis last year.

The charges were officially filed in court, marking a significant development in a case that has raised questions about the use of deadly force, according to CNN.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty emphasized that state troopers are authorized to use deadly force only when there is a specific, identified threat of great bodily harm or death that is reasonably likely to occur.

According to Moriarty, such conditions did not exist in this case, and Ricky Cobb II should be alive today.

Defense Claims Minnesota State Trooper's Heroism and Challenges Legal Proceedings

In response to the charges, Londregan's attorney, Chris Madel, asserted that his client was a hero who was attempting to protect himself and a fellow trooper.

Madel filed legal documents seeking to have the case dismissed or, at the very least, to have Moriarty removed from the case.

Accusing the county attorney of being "out of control," Madel suggested that the case represented an unwarranted attack on law enforcement, AP reports.

"This County Attorney has provided sweetheart deals to murderers and kidnappers, and now, today, she charges a hero. This County Attorney is literally out of control. Open season on law enforcement must end. And it's going to end with this case," Madel said.

Londregan has not been arrested, and Moriarty announced that her office would not seek bail but would request the court to mandate the surrender of Londregan's passport and firearms.

His first court appearance is expected to be scheduled for later this week or early next week.

Details of the Traffic Stop and Fatal Shooting of Ricky Cobb II

The incident unfolded on July 21 when Ricky Cobb II, a Black man, was stopped on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis for driving without lights on, per USA Today.

According to the criminal complaint, approximately 20 minutes into the stop, Trooper Londregan arrived on the scene after being informed that Cobb was wanted for violating a protective order in Ramsey County, although no outstanding arrest warrant existed.

During the confrontation, Trooper Londregan unlocked and opened the passenger door of Cobb's car.

As the trooper informed Cobb of his arrest, Cobb, seated in the driver's seat, put the car in drive, causing it to move forward slowly.

Within seconds, the Minnesota state trooper, Londregan, instructed Ricky Cobb II to exit the vehicle and then shot him twice.

Following the shooting, Cobb's car accelerated forward, and the troopers fell to the ground.

The vehicle eventually collided with a median about a quarter-mile down the road.

Despite attempts to provide medical aid, Cobb succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

After Ricky Cobb II's death, Governor Tim Walz promised a swift and thorough investigation.

Organizations such as Black Lives Matter Twin Cities Metro, Black Lives Matter Minnesota, the Racial Justice Network, and Cobb's relatives gathered outside the Hennepin County Government Center, demanding that the troopers involved be fired and charged.

In a statement released by her attorneys, Cobb's mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, expressed her grief.

"Ryan Londregan stole my son from me. He gunned Ricky down - for no reason while he was defenseless. Nothing can ever make up for that. But today's decision is the first step toward closure and justice," she said.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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