Murder charges against soldier in shooting dropped; New evidence cited

(KNSI) – The Minnesota State Patrol trooper charged with murder in connection with the July 2023 shooting death of Ricky Cobb II will not face trial.

Hennepin County Prosecutor Mary Moriarty announced Sunday that her office is dropping charges against Trooper Ryan Londregan. She wrote on Facebook that two new pieces of evidence have surfaced, making her doubt their ability to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Moriarty cites Londregan's potential testimony that he thought Cobb was reaching for a weapon, which she says is notoriously difficult to disprove. Second, she notes the testimony of a law enforcement trainer who said the officers at the scene made the right decision in trying to remove Cobb from his vehicle while he was driving.

Moriarty's open letter is at times scathing against law enforcement, saying she believes Cobb II should be alive today and that Londregan has not been exonerated. She tells Cobb's family that they deserve better.

The late-night traffic stop began when officers noticed Cobb's vehicle did not have its headlights on. Cobb was a former felon who should not have been in possession of a gun. Ramsey County told officers they wanted him to answer questions about a possible violation of the restraining order.

The officers attempted to get Cobb out of the vehicle so they could arrest him. He put it in drive and the car moved forward while Londregan and another trooper were still hanging on the vehicle. Londregan shot Cobb from the passenger side and the car eventually came to a stop about a quarter mile on Interstate 94 from where the shooting occurred. Rescue measures were taken on site.

A link to Moriarty's letter to the community is here (The decision to drop the charges came just days after a high-profile incident in which a Minneapolis police officer was shot and killed. It was a start to Bloody year 2024 for Minnesota law enforcement while in the line of duty.

___

Copyright 2024 Leighton Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be broadcast, published, redistributed or rewritten in any way without consent.