The vibrant Midtown Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, a community known for its rich Indigenous heritage and tight-knit bonds, was shattered on the night of April 29, 2025, when a hail of gunfire claimed the lives of four individuals and left another fighting for survival. Leras Rainey, Evan Denny (known to friends as Ramone Day), Maleice White (affectionately called Mj White), and Joey Goodwin were pronounced dead at the scene, their lives cut short in a tragic act of violence. The surviving victim, a woman whose identity has not been disclosed, was rushed to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, including a gunshot wound to the face that required extensive reconstructive surgery. For the families and friends left behind, the pain of this loss is immeasurable, as a community grapples with grief and a desperate search for answers.
On Thursday, May 1, 2025, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stood before a somber press conference to announce a significant breakthrough in the case. Authorities had arrested 34-year-old James Duane Ortley, a Minneapolis resident with a documented history of violent crime, in connection with the mass shooting. The arrest, executed around 3:30 p.m. local time with the assistance of an FBI SWAT team and a U.S. Marshals Service task force, took place near the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. Ortley faces multiple counts of second-degree murder and was also apprehended on a federal warrant for illegal firearm possession as a convicted felon. While this arrest marks a critical step toward justice, Chief O’Hara cautioned that the investigation remains active, with authorities exploring the possibility of additional suspects and connections to a broader wave of violence that gripped the city that week.
The shooting at the intersection of East 25th Street and Bloomington Avenue was the first of six separate incidents that unfolded over a harrowing 24-hour period in Minneapolis, leaving a total of at least five dead and six others injured. Among the victims were twin sisters, whose deaths have left their family and community in profound mourning. Authorities have indicated that the Tuesday night massacre was not a random act, with evidence pointing to a targeted, possibly gang-related motive rooted in the complex social dynamics of the area. The victims, all identified as members of the local Indigenous community, were found inside or near a vehicle, underscoring the brazen nature of the attack.
Ortley’s criminal history adds a troubling layer to the narrative. Court records reveal a pattern of violent behavior, including convictions for first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, illegal weapons possession, and fleeing police. Just two months prior, in February 2025, Ortley was detained in connection with a robbery spree in Minneapolis but was released without charges after two days. His reemergence as the primary suspect in this mass shooting has raised questions about the challenges of addressing repeat offenders within the criminal justice system.
As Minneapolis mourns, the investigation continues to unravel the connections between the week’s shootings. A second incident on Wednesday afternoon claimed the life of a man in his 30s, while a third, later that evening, left a man in his 50s dead. While police have not confirmed a direct link between these events and the Tuesday night shooting, the possibility of retaliation or interrelated motives remains under scrutiny. Mayor Jacob Frey, addressing the city, emphasized that the arrest sends a clear message: violence will not be tolerated, and those responsible will face consequences.
For the Indigenous community south of downtown Minneapolis, the loss is particularly acute. Community leaders have called for unity and healing, while advocates are pressing for greater resources to address the root causes of gun violence. As the city awaits further developments, the names of Leras Rainey, Evan Denny, Maleice White, and Joey Goodwin resonate as a reminder of lives taken too soon and a community determined to seek justice and rebuild.