Inset: Daniel James Dale (St. Louis County Jail). Background: The apartment complex in Minnesota where Dale allegedly killed a man he had just met (Google Maps).
A 30-year-old man in Minnesota has been arrested after he allegedly killed a 24-year-old partygoer just moments after meeting the victim in an apartment complex parking lot, shooting him in the face and back, then lying to police about his involvement and later confessing while claiming he was acting in self-defense.
Daniel James Dale was taken into custody on Wednesday and charged with intentional second-degree murder in the slaying of Parker Charles Johnson, records show.
According to a news release from the Hibbing Police Department, at about 2:16 a.m. on Sunday, officers were dispatched to the Meadowview Apartments in the 5300 block of 9th Avenue West regarding reports of gunshots being fired in the parking lot. Upon arriving, first responders said they located an adult male victim, later identified as Johnson, on the parking lot ground suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.
A shotgun was located next to the victim's body along with several spent cartridge casings from a 9 mm.
Emergency medical personnel attempted lifesaving procedures, but were unable to resuscitate Johnson, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
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Following a preliminary investigation, authorities said they identified Dale as the suspected shooter, taking him into custody late Sunday afternoon.
A copy of the probable cause affidavit obtained by the Duluth News Tribune provided additional details about the allegations against Dale.
According to the report, a witness told police they were in the parking lot and saw a man wearing a Deadpool sweatshirt fire a handgun three times. The witness reportedly said he believed the man was just drunk and firing random shots into the nearby woods. After seeing the shots fired, the witness said he saw the same man in the Deadpool sweatshirt at the party in the apartment complex, Northern News Now reported.
In his initial statement to police, Dale reportedly said he was inside the building when the shots were fired and was not sure if he had ever seen the victim before. Dale laughed several times during his interactions with officers, police noted.
However, surveillance footage showed Dale wearing a Deadpool sweatshirt that he took off shortly after police arrived.
After being identified as the potential shooter, police brought Dale in for a second interview. Dale reportedly confirmed to police that he owned a 9 mm handgun, but initially claimed he had not fired it for several months. He then revised his claim, allegedly saying he had fired it within the last week.
When asked if he would turn his gun over to police for a forensic analysis, Dale declined.
"No, I am not comfortable giving up my private property," he said, per the Duluth News Tribune. "Especially a gun that I am responsible for, to police or otherwise."
Dale allegedly confessed to the shooting after police informed him that Minnesota had a self-defense law.
"We are going to stop. I am going to say, yes, I shot him," Dale told detectives, per News Now. "Yes, I f—ing shot him, and it has been eating away at me all f—ing night."
Dale claimed Johnson, whom he described as "some white boy at the party," approached him and asked if he "wanted to see something funny" before leading him out to the parking lot. Dale said Johnson then went to his car, grabbed a long gun, and pointed it at Dale. In response, Dale said he drew his handgun and fired three times.
After the shooting, Dale said he went back to the party and tried not to "freak out" rather than attempting to render aid to Johnson.
"When I saw where my bullets hit, I knew he was f—ed," Dale reportedly said. "I stood over him. I looked down at him. I did not want my hand, like my DNA on the situation."
Dale also reportedly claimed to have just met Johnson.
"I don't even know the f—ing name," he said. "I just know it was some white country bumpkin. Just some dude that said, 'You want to see something funny?'"
But security footage reportedly showed that Dale waited six seconds after firing the first shot before he fired the second and third shots. Additionally, the first shot struck Johnson in the face while the final two shots were fired into his back, meaning Johnson was facing away from Dale after being hit with the first shot.
Dale is currently being held in the St. Louis County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17.
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