Man Charged After 71-Year-Old Found Unresponsive Following Assault in Downtown Minneapolis Building
Published: April 7th 2026
MINNEAPOLIS: A man is in custody after allegedly punching a 71-year-old during an altercation inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building, leaving the victim hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County.
According to the complaint, officers with the Minneapolis Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded at approximately 6 p.m. on April 5, 2026, to an assault report at an apartment building in the 300 block of Hennepin Avenue.
When responders arrived, they located a 71-year-old man unresponsive on the floor of a 15th-floor hallway. The complaint states the victim was not breathing and did not have a pulse. Emergency personnel performed life-saving measures, and the man regained a pulse before being transported to a hospital.
Investigators reviewed surveillance video from inside the building, which, according to the complaint, showed the victim holding a laundry basket while arguing with a man identified as Michael Joseph Walker near an elevator. The complaint states Walker appeared to try to enter the elevator when the victim nudged him with the basket. Walker then allegedly punched the victim in the face with a closed fist, causing him to fall to the ground.
The complaint states Walker then left the area via elevator.
A building security guard told investigators the two men had an ongoing dispute. The guard reported that Walker exited the elevator to the lobby and stated he had knocked the victim unconscious before leaving the building with his dog, according to the complaint.
Walker was later arrested by police.
In a post-Miranda statement, Walker told officers he became frustrated when the victim did not allow him into the elevator and admitted to punching him, according to the complaint. He also stated the two had previously been friends but their relationship had deteriorated.
As of the filing of the complaint, the victim had not regained consciousness and remained intubated at a hospital. Medical providers informed law enforcement that the man has a low likelihood of recovery due to brain injuries, according to the complaint. Additional neurological testing is expected.
Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.