2 teen students charged with murder in Richfield school shooting

Two teenage students are charged with killing one classmate and leaving another fighting for his life outside the South Education Center in Richfield.

Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 18, and Alfredo R. Solis, 19, were charged in Hennepin County District Court Friday with one count each of second-degree murder and two counts each of attempted second-degree murder. Prosecutors say the two, both from Minneapolis, had gotten into an argument with the victims while in the Richfield school's south parking lot just after noon Tuesday.

At one point, one of them pulled out a gun and fired at the victims, the charges state. Shots were also fired from the gold or tan SUV used as a getaway vehicle, according to the criminal complaints.

Shot in the chest was 15-year-old Jahmari Rice, who when arrived was unconscious, not breathing and being assessed by the school nurse, the complaint says. He was rushed to HCMC but died of his injuries. 

A 17-year-old student was also struck by the gunfire, with the charges noting a gunshot wound to his upper left chest area. He was taken to HCMC and underwent surgery, the complaint says. He remains in critical condition.

A third victim, also a student, suffered what police called "minor injuries" and was treated at the scene. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said Friday the injuries were not gunshot wounds.

“While we continue to heal from past trauma, we also grieve the untimely loss of Mr. Rice. In these difficult times, we must band together as a community, and do what we can to ensure justice is met," said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman in a statement. "Our office will do our part in prosecuting these defendants.”

SWAT teams arrested Alvarez and Rosario at separate Minneapolis homes just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, authorities have said. Law enforcement executed multiple search warrants that evening, according to Richfield Police Chief Jay Henthorne, and recovered two guns — one from a Minneapolis home (revealed in the charges to be Solis' apartment) and the other from a Crystal home. The latter is not mentioned in the criminal complaint.

The ATF has said it is assisting Richfield police with ballistics testing, which is pending, the complaint says.

Valdez-Alvarez and Solis will both make their first court appearances Friday at 2:30 p.m. The second-degree murder charges against both are labeled as either "aid/abet" or "attempt to commit."

Rice is the son of Twin Cities civil rights activist Cortez Rice, who is currently awaiting court hearings after he was charged in connection to protests outside the home of Judge Regina Chu, calling on her to allow video broadcasting for the manslaughter trial of former Brooklyn Center police officer Kim Potter.

Details from the criminal charges

Here's what the criminal complaints allege happened:

At 12:06 p.m., officers were called to the scene at South Education Center on the 7400 block of Penn Avenue S. Rice was lying on the sidewalk on the south side of the main parking lot while the school nurse assessed his injuries. He was unconscious and not breathing and was taken to HCMC, where he later died.

The 17-year-old second victim was lying in the front vestibule being held by a staff member. He had a gunshot wound on upper left chest area, with an exit wound  on his lower left back. He was conscious but "declining," with authorities rushing him to HCMC for surgery.

The third victim, who suffered minor injuries, said he, Rice and the 17-year-old victim had walked out of the school behind Valdez-Alvarez and Solis.

There was a "short confrontation" in the parking lot, and the 17-year-old victim punched Solis once, this third victim said. He said Valdez-Alvarez then started shooting at all three victims, who turned and ran toward the building. 

Valdez-Alvarez and Solis hopped in an SUV and fled. 

One staff member didn't see the shooting, but told investigators they heard a couple of shots, then a vehicle beginning to drive away, quickly followed by more gunshots. Another staff member saw some students "run up" to Solis and Valdez-Alvarez like they were going to fight, then watched as one of them pulled a gun and fired — first from close range, then again after getting in a vehicle and rolling down the window. This witness watched Rice get shot and drop to the ground. They said the gun was black, similar to a Glock, with an extended magazine.

The witness accounts differ slightly on whether the gunman got into the passenger or driver's seat. 

Investigators found five discharged 9mm cartridge casings at the scene near where the SUV had been parked. Two located on one side, three on the other. Ballistics tests are pending.

Surveillance video shows the three victims and two suspects exit the building and cross parking lot. "Minutes" after the shooting, surveillance video from Solis' apartment complex shows him exiting a beige or tan SUV wearing the same clothing he has on in the school surveillance footage. He's also carrying a small bag with a strap.

A search warrant for Solis' residence turned up a 9mm Glock 45 with an empty magazine, two magazines in a Nintendo Switch case and more ammunition in various bedrooms.

At Valdez-Alvarez's home they found a gold Chevy Tahoe matching the description of the getaway vehicle provided by witnesses. It's registered to a family member of Valdez-Alvarez,