D'Pree Shareef Robinson: Minnesota man pleads guilty to killing girl, 9, in drive-by shooting while she was playing
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: A Minnesota man admitted to second-degree murder on March 6 after being accused of fatally shooting a 9-year-old girl as she played with friends on a trampoline. Trinity Ottoson-Smith was murdered on May 15, 2021, in Minneapolis, according to D'Pree Shareef Robinson, who is now 20 years old.
“Trinity was doing what kids should be doing in spring time in Minnesota, playing with friends and having fun outside,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “Mr. Robinson’s actions shocked our community and devastated her family and all who loved her. I’m hopeful his admission of guilt begins to bring some degree of closure for Trinity’s family and the community.”
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Robinson was trying to shoot a member of a rival gang
As per Daily News, in a three-week period near the Twin Cities in 2021, three kids were killed by gunfire and Trinity was one of them. No one has been taken into custody in the other two cases, When Robinson opened fire in a drive-by shooting on a Minneapolis residence, he was, according to investigators, aiming for a member of a rival gang.
Trinity and two friends were playing on the trampoline, "directly between the shooter and the intended targets, who appeared to be three males on the side porch of the residence," according to the police. Trinity was a guest at the home. Detectives believed that one guy, known only as WJ, was the main target, but they said that he was uncooperative with officers. According to police, Robinson and WJ were opposing gang members who also had a personal grudge.
'I hope you die for killin that lil girl'
According to the prosecution, surveillance footage and mobile data demonstrated that Robinson, his car, and his phone were all present at the crime site. Robinson's girlfriend said to him on Facebook, “I hope you die for killin that lil girl” and he replied, “I don’t give a f--- what we go [through] you don’t ever wanna see me in that cell,” according to police.
Initially, both first- and second-degree murder charges were brought against Robinson. He consented to a sentence of 37 years and 6 months in jail in exchange for a guilty plea to second-degree murder. On March 21, that sentence will be formally delivered.