Family of Black Man Killed by Minnesota Cop Responds After County Attorney Decides to Prosecute Trooper Responsible

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - The family of Ricky Cobb II, the 33-year-old Black man shot and killed by Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan during a routine traffic stop, responded today along with their attorneys following Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s decision to prosecute Londregan.

Cobb’s killing sparked a national outcry in August when the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MDPS) released dash camera and body-worn camera video of the incident. According to the video and the MDPS, Cobb was pulled over for not having his rear lights on and, while three officers responded to the initial incident, Londregan was the only one to discharge his firearm. MDPS has said that “At no point on available video” is Cobb holding a gun.

Cobb’s family is represented by nationally renowned civil rights attorneys Bakari Sellers and Harry Daniels as well as F. Clayton Tyler.

“Ryan Londregan stole my son from me,” said Cobb’s mother Nyra Fields-Miller. “He gunned Ricky down my son for no reason while he was defenseless. Nothing can ever make up for that. But today’s decision is the first step toward closure and justice.”

“We want to thank the County Attorney’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for their deliberate investigation and their continued transparency,” said Sellers. “This is an important first step for this family, for this community and for the cause of accountability and justice across America.”

“Today’s decision makes one thing absolutely clear,” said Daniels. “Police officers like this who act with brutality and reckless disregard for the law in Minnesota are on notice. Your day is done. Either the criminal prosecutors will hold you accountable or we will.”

“Derek Chauvin may have been the first white police officer in Minnesota to face justice for killing a Black civilian but, after today’s decision, he won’t be the last.” said Tyler. “But it’s not enough just to prosecute. Now the work to convict begins.”