Four of six adults arrested this week have been released from jail without charges after being accused of reckless use of fireworks during a slew of disturbances in Minneapolis and Lake Minnetonka as the July 4th holiday wound down.
4 of 6 adults arrested leave jail without charges after alleged involvement in July 4th disturbances
Two adults have been charged as of Friday afternoon.
July 7, 2023 at 9:30PM
Among them are an 18-year-old jailed on suspicion of starting a July 4th fire involving fireworks that burned five boats and a dock at a Lake Minnetonka marina, and the three others suspected for their involvement in reckless fireworks activity at Minnehaha Regional Park in Minneapolis.
The Orono arrest followed a fire about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday in Orono on Brown's Bay along the 1400 block of Shoreline Drive, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said.
Surveillance video showed "multiple individuals lighting fireworks around the marina docks just before the fire and then running from the marina," sheriff's Maj. Pat Enderlein said.
The 18-year-old was booked into jail about 5:15 a.m. Wednesday on suspicion of criminal damage to property. However, according to the jail log, he was released about 4:50 p.m. Thursday without being charged. The Star Tribune reported the arrest but generally does not name suspects before they are charged.
Attorney Chris Madel told the Star Tribune that his client was released "because he's innocent. Not only did we have three people provide him an alibi, but another 18-year-old came forward [Thursday] and spoke to the Sheriff's Office."
Madel said the new suspect "accepted full responsibility and told the Sheriff's Office that [the initial suspect] had nothing to do with the fireworks."
Enderlein confirmed Friday that the teen initially jailed was released "pending further investigation. [Detectives] are continuing to interview several individuals believed to be present at the time of the fire. ... There have been no admissions at this point."
The trouble on the bay came as Minneapolis was coping with a rash of disturbances all around the city involving large groups of people setting off fireworks — at times targeting civilians and police or their vehicles.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara said 16 people — five adults and 11 juveniles — were arrested. As of midafternoon Friday, two adults and one juvenile have been charged. Six of the juveniles were cited for disorderly conduct and released to their parents, police Sgt. Garrett Parten said.
Newly charged Friday with gross-misdemeanor riot was Maslax O. Dualeh, 21, of Minneapolis. Dualeh is accused of throwing a firework from a pickup truck at people in Minnehaha Regional Park. In the pickup were Roman candles, mortars and M80-style fireworks, the criminal complaint read.
The three adults allegedly with Dualeh, however, were released within minutes of each other Friday morning without charges.
Zamir A. Yassin, 18, of Minneapolis, was charged Thursday with second-degree riot with a dangerous weapon. A criminal complaint alleges he was among more than 300 people who converged near W. 36th Street and Bde Maka Ska Parkway shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday while fireworks were "exploding all around — striking squad cars, passing vehicles, trees and other bystanders."
Yassin fired Roman candles at one moving Minneapolis police squad, leaving burn marks on the windshield, the complaint continued. A masked Yassin fled on foot, but the officer in the squad ran after him and made the arrest, the charging document read.
In juvenile court, a Columbia Heights 17-year-old was charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing police after he allegedly targeted a police squad car with fireworks.
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