A 22-year-old Bloomington man was accused Wednesday of shooting and killing a man in a car during a robbery attempt last week, according to the Hennepin County attorney's office.
Bloomington man charged with murder in car shooting
November 22, 2012 at 12:03AM
Brandon Lovelle Verse was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Koley Banks, 33, of Brooklyn Center. Verse also faces charges of second-degree assault and being a prohibited person in possession of a gun.
According to the criminal complaint, Verse flagged down the vehicle Banks was riding in near 2410 Pillsbury Av. S. on Nov. 13 and asked for a cigarette. Verse allegedly then pulled a gun and pointed it at Banks and his friend, who was driving. As Verse tried to get into the car and opened the door to the back seat, where the driver's 2-month-old baby was, Banks' friend hit the gas. Verse was allegedly able to fire a single shot as the car sped off. Banks told his friend he was hit, and they immediately went to the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, where Banks died of a gunshot wound to the chest.
The driver of the car told police he bought a video game from a guy, nicknamed "D," a while ago. He gave "D" his phone number. On Nov. 13, he got a call from a number that police determined belonged to Verse. The driver told officers that he was going to meet "D" to buy another game, but he never did. Instead, they came into contact with him on Pillsbury Avenue.
Initially, Verse denied being in the area of the shooting, but after being confronted with surveillance video of himself at a nearby McDonald's before the shooting, he admitted to having contact with Banks and his friend. However, Verse claimed that he was with another man who shot Banks.
Verse was convicted of first-degree aggravated robbery in 2008.
He was in custody at the Hennepin County jail.
Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495 Twitter: @stribnorfleet
