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Rodney Velho Charged With Fatally Shooting The Father Of His Girlfriend's Children In Maple Grove

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 44-year-old Maple Grove man faces murder charges after shooting the father of his girlfriend's children.

On Tuesday, Rodney Velho was charged with second-degree murder with intent, but not premeditated, in connection to the April 19 incident.

According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched Sunday to a report of a shooting at an apartment building on the 11800 block of 80th Avenue North in Maple Grove. After arriving on the scene, officers observed a 31-year-old adult male dead on the kitchen floor of the residence. Officers said the victim had suffered two gunshot wounds to the chest and one to the abdomen.

Police spoke to a female witness who informed officers the victim is the father of her two children, and the victim has custody of them. She told the officers that he had brought the children over for a scheduled supervised visit.

Rodney Velho is the woman's current boyfriend. Prior to the victim arriving, they had been drinking to celebrate the woman's birthday. When the victim arrived with the children, initially they were all getting along just fine, according to the female witness. Then at some point, the victim and Velho got into a verbal argument in the bathroom where Velho pulled out a handgun and shot him.

Police apprehended Velho outside of the apartment building in the parking lot. Officers said they could detect an odor of alcohol coming from him when he was speaking. Velho admitted he shot and killed the victim and that he should have just walked away during the verbal argument. He believed he had shot the victim six to eight times then fled the scene and discarded the gun.

Officers located a black .40 caliber handgun hidden on top of the fire sprinkler pipes in the stairwell of the apartment building. Video surveillance also captured the victim arriving at the residence at about 5:56 p.m. and Velho leaving the residence with a black handgun in his right hand at about 7:10 p.m.

If convicted, Velho could face up to 40 years in prison.

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