18-Year-Old Charged Following Alleged Road Rage Shooting in Minneapolis
Published: June 8th 2026
MINNEAPOLIS MN: An 18-year-old man has been charged in Hennepin County District Court after authorities say he fired a handgun during a road rage incident in Minneapolis, striking another vehicle and causing a crash.
According to a criminal complaint, Michael Dominique Betts Jr., 18, is charged with one count of Second-Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and one count of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm Within a Municipality.
The charges stem from an incident reported at approximately 2:30 p.m. on June 5, 2026, near the 2200 block of Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis.
According to the complaint, officers responded to reports of shots fired and learned a road rage confrontation had occurred involving occupants of a Jeep and another vehicle driven by a man identified in court documents as D.S. Investigators allege that during the confrontation, a passenger in the Jeep fired multiple rounds from the vehicle.
Authorities say one of the bullets struck D.S.'s vehicle, causing him to crash into another vehicle.
Police later located the Jeep and made contact with Betts near the vehicle. Witnesses reportedly identified Betts as the shooter, and surveillance video allegedly showed an individual wearing the same clothing as Betts firing from the Jeep during the incident.
The complaint states investigators recovered spent cartridge casings at the scene. Authorities allege the firearm used in the shooting was thrown from the moving Jeep after the incident and was not recovered.
Following his arrest, Betts allegedly admitted to investigators that he fired the weapon into the air during the road rage incident and expressed remorse for his actions after being advised of his Miranda rights.
Betts was being held in custody following the filing of the charges.
If convicted, the assault charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a fine of up to $14,000. The reckless discharge charge carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
The allegations contained in a criminal complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.