D'Pree Robinson Updates
Trinity Ottoson-Smith shooting suspect bail, next court hearing set
Published March 22, 2022 3:13PM
Updated 5:33PM
Trinity Ottoson-Smith shooting suspect bail, next court hearing set
Bail was set Tuesday for a man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting and killing of a 9-year-old girl in Minneapolis last spring.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Bail was set Tuesday for a man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting and killing of a 9-year-old girl in Minneapolis last spring.
D’Pree Shareef Robinson, 19, of Minneapolis, was taken into custody on Feb. 24 for the May 15, 2021, shooting of Trinity Ottoson-Smith.
Police say the 9-year-old was jumping on a trampoline in the backyard of a friend's home on the 2200 block of North Illion Avenue in Minneapolis when the tragedy happened.
She was rushed to the hospital where she died 12 days later. Investigators say it appears Trinity was "an unintended target of a gang-related drive-by shooting."
On Tuesday, Robinson’s defense argued for a lower bail, which was ultimately set at $2 million, according to FOX 9’s Paul Blume.
Judge Nicole Engisch issued a "conditional bail" amount of $1.5 million, Robinson would need to remain law-abiding and have no contact with victims or known gang members. He would also need permission to leave state of Minnesota, and make all future court dates.
The defense argued he has strong ties to Minneapolis, being a recent North High School graduate. He also has a history of steady work, and cooperated with police upon his arrest, they said.
Robinson’s next court hearing is set for April 26.
Murder charge: Gang member's gunfire that killed 9-year-old was meant for three people on porch
D'Pree Shareef Robinson is charged with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the 2021 shooting of Trinity Ottoson-Smith.
The gunfire that killed a 9-year-old girl last spring as she jumped on a friend's trampoline behind a north Minneapolis home was meant for three people on a porch who then fired back, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday morning.
D'Pree Shareef Robinson, 19, was arrested Wednesday at his North Side home by state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) agents and charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the May 15, 2021, shooting of Trinity Ottoson-Smith in the 2200 block of N. Ilion Avenue.
Trinity's killing was one of several instances of young victims being hit by unintended gunfire last year on the North Side and the first to result in an arrest.
Robinson, who is alleged in the criminal complaint to be a street-gang member, appeared in court late Thursday afternoon but was ordered back on Friday to allow him more time to arrange for an attorney.
"This was a drive-by shooting that was captured on surveillance video," the criminal complaint read. "Video showed that the victim and two other juveniles who were on the trampoline were directly between the shoot[er] and the intended targets, who appeared to be three males on the side porch of the residence, dressed in dark clothing."
After the shots were fired, "one of the three on the porch could be observed [on the video] chasing after the suspect vehicle on foot and appeared to return fire three times."
The combination of the surveillance video and license-plate reader technology tied the car used in the drive-by shooting to Robinson, who bought the vehicle three days earlier, the complaint continued.
County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement, "The sadness that comes with this arrest and charge is the reminder that an innocent 9-year-old child was shot and killed last year while playing on her trampoline. ... I can definitively say that we will do our part in the criminal justice system and prosecute the defendant to the fullest extent of the law."
According to the complaint:
On social media, Robinson boasted of being "an active shooter" for the Black Disciples and posted among other things, "I know how to shoot and I know how to fight." He frequently posted photos of firearms, and referred to himself as "GDK" or "Gangster Disciple Killer," a reference to a rival gang.
Three months before the shooting, Robinson was having threatening communication on social media with a male identified in the complaint only as W.J., who lived at the home on Ilion. Their words were "aggressive and indicative of the kind that result in shootings between rival gang members," the complaint read.
Robinson would taunt rivals, and say they were afraid to come out and confront him. He issued one of his dares to W.J.
W.J.'s sister and Robinson had an acrimonious breakup that led to a hostile back and forth between the two three days before the shooting, which was detected by ShotSpotter technology shortly after 8:30 p.m. as Trinity and her friends were gathered for a birthday party.
Immediately after the gunfire, Robinson did three internet searches on how to get a car repainted, then stopped using his cellphone. The car he was in while "committing the drive-by shooting appears to have vanished," despite an extensive nationwide search, the complaint disclosed.
A police search of Robinson's social media turned up a Facebook conversation he had in June with A.H., a new girlfriend. She was upset over a physical altercation the two had that led to him breaking her cellphone.
Eight times in that conversation, she called Robinson "a child killer" and added, "I hope you die for killin that lil girl," the complaint quoted her as saying.
Robinson responded with "Idgaf," short for him not caring what happened.