Minneapolis mass shooting suspect to make first court appearance Monday
Minneapolis mass shooting suspect to appear in court
James Ortley, the man accused of fatally shooting four people and injuring another in Minneapolis, is set to make his first court appearance on Monday afternoon. FOX 9's Bill Keller has more on the story.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The alleged gunman in the Minneapolis mass shooting that left four people dead and another injured is set to appear in court on Monday.
James Ortley, 34, is facing several felony charges, including four counts of second-degree murder, and one count each of attempted second-degree murder, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
He is currently being held on a $2 million bond and is scheduled to make his first appearance in court at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.
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The backstory:
Ortley is accused of shooting five people while inside a car on April 29. Three people died at the scene – including a 27-year-old man, a 20-year-old woman, and a 17-year-old boy. A 28-year-old died days later in the hospital. The fifth victim is still being treated for her injuries.
Investigators say Ortley is associated with the Native Mob, a violent street gang in south Minneapolis and elsewhere in the state, and has a lengthy criminal history.
Criminal history
Crime spree suspect shoots Mpls man
Video provided by the Minneapolis Police Department shows a group suspected in a string of burglaries and robberies breaking into a garage in the city and shooting at someone inside a house.
Dig deeper:
Ortley was arrested in connection to a violent crime spree in February that included two break-ins, a gunpoint carjacking and two shootings.
Surveillance video shows that after breaking into a garage, one of the suspects opened fire when they saw a man across the alley looking out of the window. A bullet struck a 54-year-old in the jaw, but he survived his injuries.
While Ortley was arrested in connection with the string of violent crimes, he was released from jail two days later without being charged. Prosecutors said there was "insufficient evidence" to sustain a charge against Ortley, but three others were charged.
One of the other suspects arrested for that crime spree is one of the four victims Ortley is accused of fatally shooting.
Ortley also has a second-degree assault conviction for a stabbing in 2020. Other convictions include charges of first-degree aggravated robbery, fleeing a police officer and traffic violations, according to court records.
The Source: This report uses court records and previous FOX 9 reporting.