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Police: 3 Weeks After Minneapolis Fire, 2nd Victim Dies

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Three weeks after a fire in Minneapolis claimed a 59-year-old man's life, police say a second person has died as a result of the blaze.

The fire occurred Oct. 6 at an apartment building at 1500 Park Avenue.

Resident Royce James jumped from a third story window and later died. A woman was critically injured when she also jumped from a third story window.

Police said Friday the second victim was a woman, but did not reveal her identity.

Thirty-year-old Marcus Dewayne Shanks has been charged with second degree murder, second degree attempted murder and first degree arson in connection with the fire.

Marcus Shanks
Marcus Shanks (credit: Hennepin County Jail)

Iris Mitchell, a resident of the building, said she saw a man pouring lighter fluid in the building before the fire. Mitchell said he told her to leave because he was going to set the building on fire.

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