Shooting suspect charged with second-degree murder

• Jonas Grice

Jonas Grice turned himself in Wednesday in connection with the Monday night shooting death of Anthony Hartman.

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Jonas Gerald Grice, 27, of Burnsville, was charged today with second-degree murder in connection with the Monday evening shooting death of Anthony Hartman at a Rosemount car wash.

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said a grand jury will be convened in the near future to review the case and consider first degree murder charges.

Accompanied by his parents, Grice turned himself into police early Wednesday morning after a day and half manhunt for the killer.

Grice shot Hartman after a brief altercation at the Car Spa Car Wash on West Canada Avenue.

According to the complaint filed in Dakota County Court Hartman had accompanied a friend to the car wash. The 20-year-old friend, who has not been identified, said the two stopped at the car wash to vacuum the vehicle.

The friend went to a coin machine, where he encountered Grice. The friend said Grice, who was in a nearby car wash bay, tried to pick a fight with him.

The friend went back to his vehicle and told Hartman. Hartman went over to confront Grice.

The friend said he went to the other side of the car wash bay. He saw Hartman push Grice and then Grice push Hartman, causing him to fall to the ground. Grice then pulled a handgun. The friend said he heard two gunshots.

The friend then ran to a neighboring business and call 911. The friend also told police he watched Grice drive away north on Highway 3 at a casual speed in a gold Mercury.

The complaint says another witness at the scene, who was standing approximately 100 feet away, heard two gunshots, looked up and saw a male with a gun in his hand. He described the gun as a dark-framed revolver with a light-colored handle. The witness ducked behind his truck and then heard several more gunshots. Several other people in the area reported hearing multiple gunshots as well.

According to the Dakota County medical examiner Hartman was shot three times ¬— twice in the abdomen and once in the back of the head. The examiner stated that Hartman died as a result of the shot to the head.

Grice’s parents brought him to the Burnsville Police Station to turn himself after confronting their son about the incident. Grice’s mother told police she owned a gold Mercury, which her son regularly drove.

According to the complaint Grice told Burnsville Police the shooting “was in self defense, that is all I’m saying.”

The friend, who was with Hartman at the time identified Grice in a photo lineup.

detectives from the Dakota County Sheriff’s office spoke with Grice’s girlfriend on July 14. During the interview she told detectives that Grice had called her the evening of the incident and told her he was going to wash his car. Later that night Grice showed her a gun. The girlfriend told Grice he didn’t need it and took it away from him.

After getting a search warrant detectives recovered the gun, which matched the witnesses description, from the girl’s residence.

Grice made his first court appearance today. Judge Erica MacDonald set his bail at $1,000,000 without conditions or $750,000 with conditions.

Grice’s next court appearance is scheduled for July 30.

Tags: news, crime, rosemount