Charges: Twin Cities firefighter was killed in furious crossfire between groups

The fatal shooting of a beloved Twin Cities firefighter occurred as two groups of people traded dozens of rounds of gunfire in a Minneapolis parking lot late at night, according to charges.

Marquise Trevone Hammonds-Ford, 28, of Monticello was charged in Hennepin County District Court last week with first-degree riot resulting in death and two illegal gun possession counts in connection with the shooting of 40-year-old Joseph C. Johns on May 5 behind the former Whiskey Junction bar in the 900 block of Cedar Avenue.

Hammonds-Ford was arrested Monday, appeared in court Tuesday afternoon and remains jailed in lieu of $800,000 bail. He’s due back in court on June 10. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

Hammonds-Ford is prominent in the YNT street gang and has been convicted of crimes in Minnesota, the charges read. He was on parole at the time of the shooting for illegal gun possession.

The bullet removed from Johns’ body was fired by a 9-millimeter handgun, the criminal complaint noted, pointing to the autopsy. Investigators figured out from where Hammonds-Ford fired his gun and found 10-millimeter discharged cartridge casings in those spots, the charges continued.

As for others who might be charged, the complaint read, “The investigation into other suspects responsible for the death of [Johns] is ongoing.”

Johns, who was off-duty at the time, worked for fire departments in Eagan and in Eden Prairie, where he lived.

Eagan Fire Department officials posted on social media shortly after Johns’ death that “our hearts are with both Joseph’s family and our fire family. We are grateful for everyone’s kindness, patience and empathy as we navigate this moment of profound loss.”

A statement from the city of Eden Prairie read, “He was a valued and important member of the EPFD family and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”

According to the criminal complaint:

A report of gunfire sent police to scene about 12:30 a.m., where a wounded Johns was being tended to by emergency responders. He died shortly after 1 a.m. at HCMC.

Officers collected from the scene 63 discharged cartridge casings that were found in clusters on both sides of the street.

Witnesses told police that hundreds of people were there to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of a motorcycle club.

Based on video surveillance and other evidence, the gunfire erupted after an altercation between the two groups of men. Johns was near the group closest to the bar. Police determined that Hammonds-Ford, while in the group farthest from the bar, incited the conflict.

Hammonds-Ford pointed his gun upward above the men in the opposing group “and let off a rapid succession of gunshots.” The gun had an extended magazine and was retrofitted with a switch, making it fully automatic. A gunfight quickly erupted, with people on both sides of the street shooting at each other.

One witness told police that Johns was caught in the crossfire while directing traffic, but investigators have yet to say whether one group or the other was responsible for the fatal shot that hit him in the chest.

Once the shooting stopped, Hammonds-Ford and two cohorts left in a vehicle for HCMC, where one of the men was left for medical attention.