Months after the fatal shooting of motorist Ricky Cobb II by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper in Minneapolis for not having his rear lights on during a traffic stop, the officer has been charged with murder.
The family of the deceased and their attorney are seeking justice, questioning why the Black man was shot when video evidence indicates he did not have a weapon at the time of the incident.
During a press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 24, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that her office has filed charges against MSP Trooper Ryan Londregan. The charges include second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree manslaughter.
What Happened to Ricky Cobb II
On Monday, July 31, Cobb, 33, was pulled over on Interstate 94 near Lowry Avenue for a traffic violation — his tail lights were off. State troopers discovered he was also wanted for violating a no-contact order in a domestic case. In a released video, three troopers approached Cobb’s car — one on each side and one behind.
The trooper on the driver’s side repeatedly and forcefully requested Cobb exit, but he refused. He asked the officers if they had a warrant. They said they did not. Cobb then asked for his attorney. The request was ignored. Instead, the officers demanded his keys, and as he resisted, one trooper attempted to pull him out.
The video captured Cobb placing his hand on the gear shift before a trooper shoots him on the passenger side of the vehicle. A patrol vehicle captured the sound of the trooper’s gun on its dashcam and Cobb speeding off.
After a brief pursuit, they stopped on the highway’s left lane. The troopers attempted first aid, but Cobb succumbed to his injuries from gunshots while in their custody.
Cobb’s mother and her civil rights attorneys, Bakari Sellers and Harry Daniels have been on the front line with her representatives protesting and demanding justice.
The investigation led by Moriarty’s office concluded that Trooper Londregan, one of the three involved troopers, did not need to use deadly force to prevent “reasonably likely” death or significant bodily harm to himself or anyone else.
At the news conference, the prosecutor expressed her sympathies to Cobb’s family, calling their loss “unimaginable.”
“Our hearts are with Ricky Cobb’s family today, who are grieving an unimaginable loss. I know that they are devastated and will continue to feel this loss for the rest of their lives,” she said, according to CBS News.
Reactions to the Killing of Ricky Cobb II
The family is devastated, with Nyra Fields-Miller, Cobb’s mother, saying in a statement to Atlanta Black Star: “Londregan stole my son from me. He gunned Ricky down my son 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.”
In addition to these charges, at the top of the year, attorneys for the family filed a complaint with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board, asserting that Londregan’s use of deadly force did not adhere to state statutes.
Chris Madel, the lawyer for the trooper, who was immediately placed on administrative leave after the shooting, also released his remarks via video regarding the indictment, blasting Moriarty and her office.
“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,” Madel said, adding that he believes her department has launched an “open season on law enforcement” and says that it “must end.”
“It’s going to end with this case,” the defense attorney promised.
The Minnesota State Patrol released a statement from Col. Matt Langer that was less combative, saying, “Any time a use-of-force incident ends with the loss of a life, it is tragic. Ricky Cobb II’s death is no different. This is a sad situation for everyone involved.”
He then said, “We also recognize the gravity of this situation for the State Patrol and our troopers tasked with making difficult split-second decisions,” stating that Londregan will remain on paid leave until the investigation is completed and it is determined that he is returned to active duty or terminated.
If convicted on the murder charge, the trooper faces up to 40 years in prison.
