Minnesota state trooper charged in fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II during traffic stop

(MINNEAPOLIS) — A Minnesota State Patrol trooper has been charged in connection to the death of 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II, who was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 94 on July 31, 2023.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday that Trooper Ryan Londregan has been charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree manslaughter.

“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,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement.

The decision to charge Londregan came after a thorough investigation conducted by her office and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Moriarty added.

“A critical component of the work of the Minnesota State Patrol is engaging with drivers during motor vehicle stops,” Moriarty said in the statement, adding: “Trooper Londregan did not follow this training.”

Londregan’s attorney, Chris Madel, referred ABC News to a brief video statement posted on his website when asked about the charges against his client Wednesday.

“This county attorney has provided sweetheart deals to murderers and kidnappers and now today she charges a hero,” Madel said in the video. “This county attorney is literally out of control. Open season on law enforcement must end, and it’s going to end with this case.”

Londregan, along with the two other troopers involved in the incident, was placed on paid administrative leave amid the investigation and remains on paid leave pending an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Internal Affairs Division, a spokesperson for the Minnesota State Patrol told ABC News on Wednesday.

“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,” Col. Matt Langer, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”

The Minnesota State Patrol is conducting a review of the DPS’s training and policies, Langer added.

Charges against Londregan come months after the Minnesota Department of Public Safety released body camera footage from Aug. 2, 2023, that shows part of the fatal traffic stop in Minneapolis.

According to the Minnesota DPS, Cobb was initially pulled over because he was driving his Ford Fusion without any taillights on I-94 near Lowry Avenue just after 1:50 a.m. But after he was stopped, the trooper learned Cobb was wanted for a felony-level violation, the DPS said.

Troopers tried to detain Cobb, but he refused to get out of his vehicle and started to drive away as troopers attempted to physically remove him, according to the DPS. A trooper, later identified as Londregan, fired his gun and struck Cobb multiple times, the DPS said.

The body camera video appears to show two troopers speaking with Cobb while standing outside the driver and the passenger side windows, with a third trooper standing behind the car.

As Cobb attempts to drive away, a trooper attempts to stop him and appears to grab the steering wheel, the video shows, but the car takes off and knocks two troopers to the ground, while the third is briefly dragged by the car for about a couple of seconds.

The trooper who was standing on the passenger’s side of the car appears to fire at Cobb, who drives a short distance and then stops, the video shows.

The video shows the troopers approaching the car and appearing to render aid to Cobb before first responders arrive at the scene.

Cobb’s family, who has been calling for justice since his death in July, welcomed the decision to charge the trooper.

“Ryan Londregan stole my son from me,” Cobb’s mother, Nyra Fields-Miller, said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”

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Cobb’s family is represented by attorneys Bakari Sellers, Harry Daniels and F. Clayton Tyler.

“We want to thank the County Attorney’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for their deliberate investigation and their continued transparency,” Sellers said in a statement Wednesday. “This is an important first step for this family, for this community and for the cause of accountability and justice across America.”

Moriarty shared her condolences with the Cobb family upon announcing the charges.

“Our hearts are with Ricky Cobb’s family today, who are grieving an unimaginable loss,” Moriarty said Wednesday. “I know that they are devastated and will continue to feel this loss for the rest of their lives.”