Mary Moriarty : "Hennepin Co. Attorney Drops Charges Against Trooper"

– Charges dropped against state trooper in Hennepin County
– Attorney in Hennepin County drops charges against state trooper.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced on Sunday that she will be dropping the murder and manslaughter charges previously filed against State Trooper Ryan Londregan in the shooting of motorist Ricky Cobb II last summer. This decision comes after new evidence in favor of the defense was presented, making it challenging for the State to prove the charges against Londregan.

Reason for Dismissal

Moriarty stated, “In the last several weeks, defense lawyers have presented several new pieces of evidence that would make it impossible for the State to prove that Mr. Londregan’s actions were not an authorized use of force by a peace officer.” She further explained that during an open court hearing on April 29, 2024, the defense disclosed Mr. Londregan’s prospective testimony, claiming that he saw Ricky Cobb II reach for the trooper’s firearm shortly before the fatal shots were fired. Additionally, an MSP trainer provided a declaration stating that officers were not instructed to refrain from shooting into a moving vehicle during an extraction.

After evaluating this new information, Moriarty and her team concluded that the state could no longer meet its burden of proof, leading to the decision to dismiss the case. For further details, you can read Moriarty’s full statement here.

Background of the Case

According to the original criminal complaint, the incident took place on July 31, 2023, at 1:50 a.m. when Minnesota state trooper Brett Seide spotted a car driving past him on I-94 with its rear lights turned off. Upon pulling the car over, Seide discovered that the driver, identified as Ricky Cobb II, was wanted on probable cause arrest for a felony order-for-protection violation issued by Ramsey County.

As additional troopers, including Ryan Londregan and Garrett Erickson, arrived to assist, a confrontation ensued when Cobb refused to comply with their instructions. During the struggle that followed, Londregan fired the fatal shots that resulted in Cobb’s death. Both Londregan and Seide were knocked down as Cobb managed to pull away from the scene.

Aftermath of the Shooting

Following the shooting, the troopers pursued Cobb’s vehicle for a quarter-mile down the interstate before catching up with him as he slowed to a stop along the interior divider. Despite attempts to save his life, Cobb succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Londregan and Seide, who were also injured during the incident, were treated at a hospital and later released.

For more information on this case, including video footage of the incident, you can visit this link.