Homicide in Rosemount

Subject: Homicide in Rosemount Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:08 pm

I drove past this little scene on my way to work tonight...

1 Man Shot, Killed at Rosemount Car Wash

Police say one man was shot and killed at the Car Spa Car Wash in Rosemount.

Police responded to the shooting located at 15215 Canada Avenue around 6:15 p.m. Monday.

According to the report, the victim was a 22-year-old male from Apple Valley, but his name has not been released.

This is the first homicide in Rosemount since March 2008.

Witnesses reported seeing the suspect leaving the scene in a gold or tan Mercury Sable similar to the one pictured.

Police have no suspects in custody.

Subject: Re: Homicide in Rosemount Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:09 pm

damn, i got family down there too, such a quiet place.

Subject: Re: Homicide in Rosemount Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:11 pm

I could tell it was something pretty serious when I drove by. They had the nearest intersection on either side of the car wash taped off in yellow, with a squad car at each location, with 4 more squad cars in the parking lot for the car wash, and the wash itself was taped off in red.

I usually turn off Highway 3 heading north well before I go by that car wash. For some reason tonight I decided not to turn at 46 and went to 42 instead... I come up the hill around the corner and saw all of that. Weird that I happened choose that route tonight.

Posts : 1125 Join date : 2009-09-21 Location : St. Paul

Very scary...I never hear about these things happening around here either...just never even think about it...

That's a weird time of day for it to happen too...during the early evening like that...in broad daylight...wow.

Subject: Re: Homicide in Rosemount Mon Jul 12, 2010 11:28 pm

I'd bet this is a situation where the victim knew the perpetrator pretty well and were in some kind of argument.

Subject: Re: Homicide in Rosemount Tue Jul 13, 2010 10:33 pm

More about the incident...

Parents mourn son slain at Rosemount car wash
Anthony Hartman was gunned down sticking up for a friend, his family says.

By ABBY SIMONS and PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: July 13, 2010 - 9:08 PM

In an otherwise neatly organized room filled with Boy Scout and baseball memorabilia, Anthony Hartman's bed was still unmade Tuesday.

It was just the way he left it before departing for his job at a concrete company Monday morning, telling his parents, "See you after work."

On Tuesday, as police remained mum about the circumstances that led to the 22-year-old being shot fatally at a Rosemount car wash, his father sat on the same bed and sobbed quietly as he and his wife shared relics from the too-brief life of the Eagle Scout and former Rosemount High School football player.

Dave and Karen Hartman said they were told their son died defending a friend, but his bravery was of little solace.

"I'd rather he be chicken," Karen Hartman said.

Hartman was gunned down just after 6 p.m. Monday after a confrontation at the Car Spa self-service car wash, 15215 Canada Av., less than two miles from his home.

Police haven't revealed details of what happened but were searching for a suspect.

As the Hartmans plan their son's funeral, both say they are in the dark as to what happened, only that they were told by police that their son's friend, who was driving, somehow got into an argument with the gunman and "Anthony stepped up," Dave Hartman said.

"That's what he did," the father said. "He stuck up for his friends."

A call to Rosemount Police Chief Gary Kalstabakken to ask about the circumstances was not returned.

Commotion at car wash

Nick Warren, an employee of Crown Rental next door to the car wash, said he had just finished his shift and was getting into his truck when he saw the commotion. He said he had heard the pops from a gun earlier, but dismissed them as post-holiday fireworks. Suddenly, he saw a young man burst past him through the door of the business, where his co-workers were locking up.

"He came through so fast, I didn't know whether he was going to rob the place," Warren said. "I don't know if he watched his friend get shot. He came inside and ducked down. It was hard to understand what he was saying because he was crying."

Employees called 911 as Warren turned back outside to see the suspect's car turn onto State Hwy. 3.

"He wasn't speeding," Warren said. "He didn't squeal his tires or anything."

Warren said he saw the victim, later identified as Hartman, lying in a small lobby area in the rear of the car wash. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Hartman said the car Hartman and his friend were in was parked near one of the vacuum stations at the far end of the lot, while the suspect's car was parked in one of the washing bays. Other people were there washing their cars at the time "like nothing happened," he said.

Car Spa employee Scarlet Lund said Tuesday that her manager had left for the day about an hour before the shooting happened.

She said she knew nothing about what happened, but wished she or another employee had been there.

"Hopefully it wouldn't have happened," she said.

'Thought he could do everything'

Meanwhile, at Hartman's Apple Valley home, friends and family members sat quietly in the garage and grieved, saying little about the outdoors-loving boy who grew up into a polite, friendly and fun young man.

In his bedroom, Karen Hartman pulled out an elaborately framed collage of pictures made when he graduated from Rosemount High School in 2006. On it were photos from when he earned his Eagle Scout honor in 2003, photos of his various vehicles -- from scooters as a toddler to his beloved Jeep -- and photos from camping trips.

Both said they're processing what happened to the younger of their two sons, who was known for being outgoing and self-confident.

"He thought he could do everything," Karen Hartman said. "He thought, 'I'm young, I'm strong, I'm smart. I can make it happen.' "

The homicide was the city's first since March 2008, when a 16-year-old boy stabbed a 17-year-old boy during an argument over a girl. That is believed to be the city's first-ever homicide.

Subject: Re: Homicide in Rosemount Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:09 pm

From the Strib...

Charge: Rosemount car wash victim shot three times

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune
Last update: July 16, 2010 - 12:53 PM

A shoving match led a 27-year-old Burnsville man to fatally shoot an Apple Valley man in the back of the head at a self-serve car wash, according to charges filed Friday.

Jonas G. Grice was charged in Dakota County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in the death Monday of Anthony A. Hartman, 22, and is being held in jail on $1 million bail without conditions or $750,000 with conditions.

Soon after he turned himself in Wednesday at the Burnsville Police Department, Grice told an officer: "It was in self-defense; that's all I'm saying," according to the criminal complaint.

County Attorney James Backstrom said a grand jury will convene soon to decide whether Grice should be charged with first-degree murder.

"This was clearly a senseless and shocking killing of a young man who was unarmed and defenseless," Backstrom said. "It's very sad to see something like this occur. Our deepest sympathy is extended to the family and friends of Anthony Hartman for their great loss."

Hartman was shot and killed about 6 p.m. at the Car Spa, 15215 Canada Av., less than 2 miles from his home.

Hartman's parents, Dave and Karen Hartman of Apple Valley, said they were told by police that their son, an Eagle Scout and 2006 graduate of Rosemount High School, died bravely defending his friend.

According to the complaint:

The friend told police that while at a car wash change machine, Grice started to pick a fight with him. The friend told Hartman what happened. Hartman walked over to Grice and shoved him. Grice then pushed Hartman to the ground and shot him three times with a revolver, twice in the abdomen and once in the back of the head.

Grice left in his car at "a casual speed." He went to his girlfriend's home that evening and showed her the gun. She took the gun from him. Police recovered it Wednesday at her home.