Minnesota Trooper Charged With Murder in Traffic Stop Shooting

Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Minnesota State Trooper who shot and killed a motorist during a traffic stop on I-94 in Minneapolis this past July has now been charged with murder.

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Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges during a news conference Wednesday morning. The Minnesota BCA identified the motorist as 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II of St. Cloud and the trooper as 27-year-old Ryan Londregan.

Moriarty announced Londergran has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree assault and second-degree manslaughter.

Moriarty. Hennepin County Attorney's Office on X

A news release issued by Moriarty's office says in part, “While deadly force by peace officers is justified in some circumstances, the criminal complaint alleges the circumstances in this case did not justify the use of deadly force.” The full news release is available below:

Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Ryan Londregan has been charged with three criminal counts for shooting and killing 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II on July 31, 2023, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced Wednesday. While deadly force by peace officers is justified in some circumstances, the criminal complaint alleges the circumstances in this case did not justify the use of deadly force.
The criminal complaint charges three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree assault, and second-degree manslaughter. While a number of factors impact a sentence upon conviction, the presumptive sentence under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines for a second-degree unintentional murder conviction is 128-180 months.
“Our hearts are with Ricky Cobb’s family today, who are grieving an unimaginable loss,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “I know that they are devastated and will continue to feel this loss for the rest of their lives.
“A critical component of the work of the Minnesota State Patrol is engaging with drivers during motor vehicle stops. This is something that State Troopers do every day, and, as a result, they receive extensive training on how to do so safely and effectively. Trooper Londregan did not follow this training. These charges are appropriate based on the thorough investigation conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and attorneys in our office. This matter is now an active criminal prosecution. Because this matter is now an active criminal prosecution, and because we take the right to a fair trial seriously, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is not seeking bail. Prosecutors will ask the court to require that Londregan surrender his passport and firearms and to follow all conditions set by the court.
Following the charging announcement Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matt Langer issued a statement that said in part, “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. We acknowledge the deep loss felt by Mr. Cobb’s family and friends. We also recognize the gravity of this situation for the State Patrol and our troopers tasked with making difficult split-second decisions.
-Hennepin County Attorney's Office

A statement issued by Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matt Langer says Londergan will remain on paid administrative leave per the terms of the trooper’s contract. Langer's full statement is available below:

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. We acknowledge the deep loss felt by Mr. Cobb’s family and friends. We also recognize the gravity of this situation for the State Patrol and our troopers tasked with making difficult split-second decisions.
In accordance with the troopers’ labor contract, Trooper Ryan Londregan will remain on paid leave while an investigation by the Department of Public Safety’s Internal Affairs Division is completed. That investigation has begun and will inform employment decisions.
The State Patrol is also conducting a critical incident review that will examine and inform our training and policies.
Today’s announcement of criminal charges by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office marks the next step in the judicial process related to this case. We respect that process and cannot comment further due to the ongoing criminal proceedings.
-Minnesota State Patrol Col. Matt Langer

The preliminary investigation indicated a trooper pulled over a vehicle Cobb was driving for not having working tail lights around 1:50 on the morning of July 31. Londregan and another trooper responded to the stop upon learning Cobb had an active arrest warrant for a felony order-for-protection violation issued by Ramsey County.

The publicly-available footage of the incident shows Cobb refusing to exit the vehicle and resisting trooper’s attempts to physically remove him from the car.

At that point Trooper Londregan fired his service weapon and Cobb drove off knocking down Troopers Londregan and Seide in the process. The troopers followed Cobb’s vehicle and saw it begin to slow along the median wall of I-94.

MnDOT/MnCrime

Once they caught up to the vehicle troopers began life-saving measures that were unsuccessful. The BCA says investigators obtained the car Cobb was driving and found a handgun in the back seat area on the floor behind the center council.

Investigators also found shell casings and a cell phone in the vehicle. Cobb is never seen holding the gun in the dash camera and body-worn camera videos, a BCA news release says.

Londegren has been summoned to appear in Hennepin County Court on the charges. A first court date has not yet been scheduled.