Yesterday, Eddie Duncan, a 23-year-old man from North Minneapolis, bailed out of the Hennepin County jail where he was being held on a firearms charge. Within three hours Duncan shot and killed two of his cousins aged 13 and 23 in a relative’s home in North Minneapolis before being shot and killed during a shootout with Brooklyn Center police.
A review of the circumstances surrounding Duncan’s arrest and release point to yet another example of a court system that has repeatedly failed to incapacitate offenders who have shown complete disregard for the law.
It’s particularly troubling that a day after this preventable violence – preventable because Duncan had been safely incapacitated – our Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) legislators intend to introduce an “assault weapons ban” on all Minnesotans, rather than strengthen court mandates to ensure violent offenders remain incapacitated.
MPD Statement
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara made a statement following the double murder at 42nd and Irving Ave. No. Chief O’Hara indicated that the MPD had arrested the suspect on February 15th on a warrant for fleeing and possessing a machine gun. The suspect had made bail earlier on February 23rd and had gone to a relative’s home on Irving Ave No. where the suspect shot and killed two cousins aged 13- and 23-year-old. Four other children aged 7,8,9 and 10 were also at the home along with a grandmother. Chief O’Hara reported that the same suspect then traveled to Brooklyn Center where he was killed by Brooklyn Center police. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating that fatal shooting, which is standard protocol for local deadly force cases.
Jail and Court Records
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Jail Roster shows just one 23-year-old who was arrested by the MPD on February 15th on a fleeing and weapons warrant who was released on February 23rd – that person was Eddie Darren Dunkin, aged 23 of 49th and Queen Ave No. Minneapolis.
The Hennepin County Court Case file 27-CR-262475
On May 17th, 2025, at 3:26 am, Robbinsdale police observed Duncan speeding and blowing a stop light near Hwy 100 and 81. Robbinsdale police attempted to stop Duncan but he fled at speeds up to 90 mph before crashing and rolling his car. Duncan fled on foot after the crash. Robbinsdale police recovered a black Glock handgun with an extended magazine carrying twenty-nine rounds of 9 mm ammunition from inside the car. The gun was altered to include an “auto sear” which makes it shoot automatically, like a machine gun.
Minneapolis police came in contact with Duncan on February 15th and arrested him on the outstanding arrest warrant for fleeing Robbinsdale police and for possessing a machine gun.
Duncan was booked into the Hennepin County Jail. Bail had been set in the original complaint at $70,000. Duncan was scheduled to make his first appearance in court, but refused to go court on the 17th, 18th, and 19th. The Hennepin County jail then received a Reasonable Force Order allowing them to forcibly bring Duncan into court on the 20th.
During the court appearance on 20th, Judge Julia Dayton Klein found cause to order Duncan to participate in an evaluation with Court Psychological Services to determine if Duncan was competent to stand trial. The judge also ordered that a forensic navigator be appointed to Duncan to help with housing and services, and to report to the court on Duncan’s compliance or noncompliance of any order of the court. Finally, the judge amended the conditions for release of Duncan, lowering the bail to $35,000 with conditions to remain law abiding, attend all future court appearances, not possess firearms.
Duncan had flouted each of those conditions already and the court had reason to believe he may have significant mental health issues, yet the court made Duncan’s release significantly easier. Duncan quickly found a bail/bondsman willing to put up a $35,000 bond – the traditional cash percentage required is 10%, or $3,500 in this case.
On February 23rd, Duncan signed his bond obligation form with Midwest Bonding, LLC, and was released about 12:41 pm. By 3:30 pm he had killed his two cousins, and by 3:55 pm Duncan engaged in a shootout with the Brooklyn Center police and was killed.
Takeaway
Cases like Duncan’s represent the failure of our court system to provide for public safety. Violent offenders like Duncan have repeatedly demonstrated their unwillingness to follow the law, yet following their arrests our court system has repeatedly failed to hold them in custody.
There is truly nothing more unjust than someone who is victimized at the hands of a violent offender that our justice system had incapacitated and then released.
Violent offenders with guns represent “low-hanging fruit” for our courts. If the courts would firmly incapacitate these offenders when they are arrested, violence involving guns in Minnesota would be significantly reduced.
Unless or until our courts begin picking this fruit, we should expect more performative legislation such as today’s “assault weapons ban.”
