William Howard Sanders IV AKA Jason Jerrell Herron IV (Hennepin County Jail)
A Minnesota man allegedly saw another man in a hoodie and became suspicious because the weather was “nice” and proceeded to take out a gun from his fanny pack and execute him.
William Howard Sanders IV — also known as Jason Jerrell Herron IV — is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 24-year-old De’Jaun Marquise Michael Hall. The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on Sept. 3 in the area of 1st Avenue South and East 19th Street in Minneapolis. Sanders and Hall were in a group of about 10 people when they started arguing, police said in a press release.
The shooting was captured on surveillance video, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. It shows Sanders, 38, and Hall arguing. Sanders then pulls something out of his fanny pack wrapped around his shoulder — apparently a gun — and Hall runs away and around a parked car, the affidavit said. Sanders allegedly follows the victim around the car and then shoots him in the back, causing Hall to fall to the ground.
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“Defendant then slowly walked up to victim who was on his back with empty hands raised in the air,” detectives wrote. “Defendant then stood over victim, pointed his firearm at victim’s head and fired two more shots at victim before slowly walking away from the scene.”
Cops arrested Sanders on Thursday at a hotel and took him to the Hennepin County Jail where he remains without bond. Post Miranda, Sanders reportedly admitted to shooting Hall. First, Sanders said he was high on PCP and didn’t know what he was thinking. Later he allegedly claimed he shot Hall in self-defense because Sanders was threatening him and his family. Finally, he said while he didn’t see anyone else with a gun, he became “suspicious” of Hall because he was wearing a “hooded sweatshirt on a nice day,” per the affidavit.
Detectives also recovered Sanders’ car which had the fanny pack seen on the video and a 9 mm handgun, the affidavit said.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide and determined Hall was shot three times.
Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed disappointment in the shooting because the area is a known trouble spot.
“It’s frustrating because this is a location that we know has been problematic in the past. We do have police presence here. It’s frustrating knowing that we can’t prevent everything,” O’Hara said in a statement. “We’re here to try and speak on behalf of those that can no longer speak for themselves.”
Police also arrested a 27-year-old woman for allegedly helping Sanders avoid arrest.
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