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Man charged in drive-by shooting that killed 18-year-old in south Minneapolis

Man charged in drive-by shooting that killed 18-year-old in south Minneapolis

A man accused of killed a teenager last month in a drive-by shooting has been arrested and charged with murder, court records show.

Amariaun Antonio Thomas Thornton, 21, of Oakdale faces two counts of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and drive-by shooting.

Prosecutors allege Thornton shot at three people as he drove past the intersection of 27th Street and Nicollet Avenue around 8 p.m. on July 7.

Surveillance video shows a GMC Acadia approaching the victims before the driver fires a gun at them. One of the bullets appears to ricochet off the pavement, striking 18-year-old Javon Stevenson in the chest. Stevenson died at the hospital about an hour and a half later.

Police identified the vehicle from the surveillance footage as Thornton’s. Officers also found a 9mm ghost gun – a firearm that is more difficult to trace because it is unregistered and owner-mounted – that matched the shell casings found at the scene.

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On Wednesday, Minneapolis police arrested Thornton after he ran from the scene of a shots fired report in the 2900 block of Russell Avenue South. He remained in custody at the Hennepin County Jail as of Friday evening.

Thornton will make his first court appearance on Monday.

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