Edina Southdale fatal shooting: Suspect Elevoun Wren charged with second-degree murder
Elevoun Quinnell Wren, 23, was charged with second-degree murder Friday in the April 22 fatal shooting near Southdale Mall in Edina that killed John Stroud.
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows a physical fight before the shooting, police say. The footage reportedly shows Stroud placing his hands around Wren's neck and Wren later standing over him with his arm outstretched holding an object. Stroud was shot five times in the chest and died at the scene despite life-saving efforts. Officers executed a search warrant at Wren's nearby apartment and recovered a pistol, three magazines and a magazine extender hidden under a sweatshirt. Three men initially arrested after the shooting were released after prosecutors said there was not enough evidence to charge them.
The shooting took place near the 3300 block of West 66th Street, just outside the 66 West transitional housing complex for homeless youth and young adults. The 39-unit complex opened in 2017 and generated 147 police calls for service over subsequent years. Wren lived at the complex and has a prior juvenile criminal record tied to multiple armed gas station robberies in 2020 that left one victim paralyzed.
Early coverage focused on multiple arrests, lockdowns at Southdale Mall and a large police response, but later reporting that included surveillance footage shifted the account and identified Wren as the suspected shooter. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office called the matter complex and said prosecutors are reviewing Wren's case; investigators ask anyone with security footage from the Southdale area to email [email protected].
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📊 Relevant Data
Between 2017 and 2021, the age- and gender-adjusted homicide mortality rate among people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota was 17.9 per 100,000 person-years, which is 5.2 times higher than the general population rate of 3.5 per 100,000. ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf)) ([Minnesota Department of Health](https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/homeless/coe/coephhmr.pdf))
Minnesota Homeless Mortality Report, 2017-2021 — Minnesota Department of Health
A person of color or Indigenous individual in Minnesota is at least 13 times more likely to experience homelessness than a White, non-Hispanic person. ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view)) ([Minnesota Housing](https://www.mnhousing.gov/documents/46945/supportive_housing_info_resource_1043310/view))
Supportive Housing Information and Resources — Minnesota Housing
In 2023, the homicide victimization rate for Black individuals in Minnesota was 14.3 per 100,000, compared to 3.9 per 100,000 for White individuals. ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf)) ([Violence Policy Center](https://vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide25.pdf))
Black Homicide Victimization in the United States — Violence Policy Center
📌 Key Facts
- On April 22, around 12:30 p.m., a shooting near the 3300 block of West 66th Street in Southdale left a man, later identified as John Stroud, dead at the scene despite life‑saving efforts; he was shot five times in the chest.
- Edina police say the victim and suspects were known to each other and that the shooting was not random.
- Police arrested a fourth suspect Thursday and say they now believe all suspects involved in the shooting have been arrested.
- The fourth suspect was identified as 23‑year‑old Elevoun Quinnell Wren of Edina; he has been formally charged in Hennepin County with second‑degree murder and remains jailed while prosecutors prioritize review of his case.
- The three men initially arrested after the April 22 shooting were released from custody after the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office determined there was not enough evidence to charge them.
- Surveillance footage described by investigators shows a physical altercation in which the victim put his hands around Wren’s neck, and later shows Wren standing over the victim with his arm outstretched holding an object.
- Police executed a search warrant at Wren’s nearby apartment and recovered a pistol, three magazines, and a magazine extender concealed under a sweatshirt.
- The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office described the case as a “complex matter” and said the investigation is ongoing; investigators are asking anyone with Southdale‑area security footage to email tips to [email protected].
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Identifies the alleged shooter as Elevoun Quinnell Wren, 23, of Edina.
- Confirms Wren has been formally charged in Hennepin County with second-degree murder in the April 22 Southdale-area killing.
- Details surveillance footage showing a physical altercation, the victim putting hands around Wren’s neck, and Wren later standing over the victim with his arm outstretched holding an object.
- States the victim was shot five times in the chest and later pronounced dead.
- Describes execution of a search warrant at Wren’s nearby apartment, where police recovered a pistol, three magazines, and a magazine extender under a sweatshirt.
- Notes that the three companions initially arrested with Wren have been released and are no longer in custody.
- Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says there is not enough evidence to charge the three men initially arrested after the April 22 shooting that killed John Stroud.
- All three of those original arrestees are being released from custody Friday with Edina Police and HCAO in agreement on the lack of evidence.
- A fourth man, arrested Thursday and identified by authorities as the suspected shooter, remains jailed while prosecutors prioritize review of his case for possible charges.
- HCAO characterizes the case as a “complex matter” and says the investigation into the Southdale-area killing is ongoing.
- Edina PD reports a fourth suspect was arrested around 1:30 p.m. Thursday for probable cause murder, with help from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s West Metro Drug Task Force.
- Police now believe they have arrested all suspects involved in the shooting.
- Confirmation that the shooting occurred around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday near the 3300 block of West 66th Street and that the victim died at the scene despite life‑saving efforts.
- Police say the victim and suspects were known to each other and that the shooting was not random.
- Investigators are asking anyone with security footage from the Southdale area to email tips to [email protected].