A longtime criminal was charged Wednesday with shooting a woman who was five months pregnant with their child; she was taken from the south Minneapolis crime scene to the hospital, where she gave birth that night before dying.
Zachary V. Robinson, 27, of Minneapolis, remains at large and is charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder, second-degree assault and being a felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the shooting Sunday night of Leneesha H. Columbus, 27.
Columbus was shot while sitting in an SUV near the memorial to George Floyd, who died on May 25 while being detained by police.
Paramedics took Columbus to HCMC, where she gave birth that night before being pronounced dead from a gunshot to her upper torso despite the lifesaving efforts of bystanders, the charges noted.
The baby was in critical condition, according to the charging document, which was filed late Wednesday morning.
"My sister leaves behind three children with no mother to raise them," read a posting to a GoFundMe page created to help family who are stepping in to care for the children. "Leneesha was a loving mother, sister, cousin and friend to all. She brought light and love where ever she went. She was the heart of the neighborhood."
A nationwide warrant has been issued for the arrest of Robinson, whose "whereabouts are unknown," the charges said.
A man who had been "working in a peacekeeping role" at the memorial to Floyd confronted Robinson about shooting the woman, the complaint said. Robinson responded, "Don't talk to me," and then shot the man in the right foot, the charges said.
