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- calendar_today November 3, 2026
Suspect Charged in Minneapolis Green Line Fatal Shooting
Authorities have charged Jaquan Darrian Edwards with intentional second-degree murder following the fatal shooting of Joseph Denny Nezperce on a Green Line train in Minneapolis on October 3. Edwards, 30, with no known address, was scheduled to appear in Hennepin County District Court, and is being held on $1 million bail.
Details of the Green Line Incident
Police responded to a report of a shooting on the light-rail train just after 9 p.m. on October 3. Officers found Nezperce, 36, of South St. Paul, in the rear-most seat, having suffered three gunshot wounds, one of which to the neck proved fatal. According to court charges, surveillance video captured a dialogue between Edwards and Nezperce before Edwards fired three rounds. Edwards then exited the train at Prospect Park Station.
Investigation Breakthroughs: DNA and Video Evidence
The investigation drew on multiple sources, including surveillance video, DNA samples, items recovered from trash, and interviews. Video evidence showed Edwards spitting “voluminously” on the U.S. Bank Stadium station platform approximately 13 minutes before the shooting. Minneapolis police collected the saliva sample, which was later tested for DNA.
Further surveillance footage traced Edwards as he walked away from Prospect Park Station, removed and replaced a Covid mask, and looked back over his shoulder multiple times. Investigators also discovered that Edwards had swiped his bus card repeatedly between September 22 and October 3. Video from a September 22 Maplewood bus trip and subsequent visits to a grocery store and an Advanced Auto Parts store provided additional identification clues. A security staff member at the grocery store identified Edwards as an employee at the auto parts store, and employment records confirmed his identity.
Trash Pull Yields Additional DNA Confirmation
In a related development from July, White Bear Lake police stopped Edwards during a traffic stop where he was driving his mother’s car and smoking a wood-tipped cigar. Investigators later interviewed a witness who stated that Edwards lived with his mother. On October 20, police performed a trash pull at Edwards’ mother’s residence, collecting six cigar wood mouthpieces. DNA testing of these cigar mouthpieces matched the DNA found on the rail platform at U.S. Bank Stadium, strengthening the case against Edwards.
Arrest and Potential Sentence
Minneapolis and Metro Transit police arrested Edwards on Saturday, nearly a month after the shooting. If found guilty of intentional second-degree murder, Edwards could face up to 40 years in prison. The case highlights the collaborative efforts between different police departments and the use of forensic and video surveillance in solving public transit crimes.
Individuals and Organizations Involved
- Jaquan Darrian Edwards (suspect)
- Joseph Denny Nezperce (victim)
- Minneapolis Police Department
- Metro Transit Police
- Hennepin County District Court
Source: startribune.com.
