Minneapolis Man Faces Murder Charge After Attacking His Neighbor in Downtown Apartment
Minneapolis, MN (Minnesota Now) -- A man in his 70s has died days after an assault inside a Minneapolis apartment building, and prosecutors are now expected to pursue a murder charge.
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According to the Minneapolis Police Department, officers were called on April 5 to a building in the 300 block of Hennepin Avenue for a report of an unconscious man. When they arrived, they found the victim lying near the elevators in a hallway. He was taken to Hennepin Healthcare for treatment.
Investigators later reviewed surveillance video from inside the building. Police say it showed the man being struck by another resident following a brief verbal altercation.
Officers identified and arrested the suspect, 61-year-old Michael Joseph Walker, who lives in the same building and was still inside when police located him.
Additional details in the criminal complaint, reported by Limitless Media, shed more light on what led up to the assault.
Investigators say the surveillance video showed the victim holding a laundry basket while arguing with Walker near an elevator. The complaint alleges the victim used the basket to nudge Walker as he tried to enter, and Walker then punched him in the face, causing him to fall and hit the ground.
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According to the complaint, the 71-year-old victim was found unresponsive on the floor of a 15th-floor hallway and was not breathing when first responders arrived. Emergency personnel were able to restore a pulse before transporting him to the hospital.
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On April 14, police were notified that the victim had died from his injuries.
Charges that were initially filed as first-degree assault by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office are now expected to be updated to include homicide.
A building security guard told investigators the two men had an ongoing dispute, according to Limitless Media’s report on the complaint. The guard also reported that Walker later indicated he had knocked the victim unconscious before leaving the building with his dog.
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According to the complaint, Walker told officers after being read his rights that he became frustrated during the encounter and admitted to punching the victim. He also said the two men had previously been friends, but their relationship had deteriorated.
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