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College Student Charged In Fatal Mpls. Shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 21-year-old community college student has been charged in the fatal shooting from early Saturday morning outside a Minneapolis bar, according to the Hennepin County Attorney.

Cedric Chappell, Jr., who lived in south Minneapolis but went to school in North Dakota, was charged with second-degree murder Wednesday in the fatal shooting of Willie James Smith III, 22, of St. Paul.

Chappell was also charged with attempted second-degree murder for shooting at another man in the incident, who was injured.

Police were called around 2 a.m. Saturday to the Blue Nile Nightclub in Minneapolis, after a fight broke out at the bar, located at 2027 E. Franklin Ave.

The fight spilled out into the parking lot where the shooting took place.

According to a criminal complaint, two groups outside the bar began shooting at each other. During the shootout, Chappell shot Smith in the chest and shot the other man in the leg, according to the charges.

Smith was pronounced dead at the scene and the other man was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center.

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