[music playing]
[sirens wailing]
[music playing]
MAN: How you doing? ANN KJOS: Hey, how are you?
Good.
Mhm.
[music playing]
ANN KJOS: So multiple gunshot wounds, upper, central chest,
and neck.
JIM JENSEN: Yeah.
NARRATOR: 19-year-old Elyja Larkin recently learned
he was going to be a father.
He and his fiancee had been planning
to move to a new neighborhood to make a fresh start.
How many casings?
I counted four.
[camera clicking]
NARRATOR: Elyja was shot at a bus
stop just outside the church.
OK.
JIM JENSEN: We're going to go back to the office.
[music playing]
[door opens]
WITNESS: Hi.
NARRATOR: Sergeants Ann Kjos and Jim Jensen interview one
of Elyja's friends, who was near the church
during the shoot out.
NARRATOR: The witness says that moments later,
a man at the bus stop attacked him.
We got a name.
That's all-- I like having a name at first.
NARRATOR: Jontrel Bolden is 20 years old.
OK.
JIM JENSEN: And you're certain of that?
ANN KJOS: He's a really good witness, very detailed.
What isn't clear is exactly why that confrontation went down.
ANN KJOS: Yeah.
NARRATOR: A few hours in--
[phone rings]
ANN KJOS: Hello?
NARRATOR: --Kjos gets a break.
OK.
It's two different buses.
Oh, my god.
That's perfect.
NARRATOR: The transit police have
footage of Elyja and Jontrel getting
off two different buses.
You are my best friend.
Thank you.
[laughs] Bye.
Yay!
So--
Sweet!
Yeah.
[laughs]
[music playing]
TECH: So that's the suspect bus.
All this is going to show you is the suspect.
ANN KJOS: OK.
[music playing]
JIM JENSEN: Yeah.
That's him.
ANN KJOS: Oh, yeah.
For sure.
TECH: Mhm.
[music playing]
He's on the bus for a long time.
So go to, like, 18:17 hours.
So now he gets off, and he kind of hangs out by the corner.
ANN KJOS: Now we have to see the other one.
NARRATOR: They pull up video from the victim's bus.
TECH: That's the victim right there.
[music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
ANN KJOS: Yeah.
They don't really have a care in the world.
TECH: No.
They're having a good time.
ANN KJOS: So they're pulling up.
Now your suspect, he's right here.
NARRATOR: Elyja and his friend approach the suspect, Jontrel.
[music playing]
[gunshots, baby crying]
ANN KJOS: Geez.
He started it.
The victim started it.
[music playing]
Jontrel, he's almost trying to run away.
And he goes backwards to shoot at the victim.
TECH: Yeah.
ANN KJOS: Self-defense.
JIM JENSEN: This is all self-defense.
His best bet would have been just to come in to us and say,
dude just attacked me and I self-defense shot him.
He has a story to tell.
[music playing]
[knocking]
OFFICER: Police department!
NARRATOR: The Violent Criminal Apprehension Team hits
the streets--
We're looking for Jontrel.
NARRATOR: --hoping to track Jontrel
down and convince him to talk.
OFFICER: If you see Jontrel, can you give me a call?
You don't know where he is?
He don't live here.
[music playing]
NARRATOR: With Jontrel nowhere to be found,
Kjos brings in one of his friends to help.
ANN KJOS: If somehow you're able to get a hold of Jontrel,
I'll take the call anytime.
OK.
Him running makes his story less and less believable.
What I--
NARRATOR: Kjos explains Jontrel may have a self-defense case.
But he must come forward soon.
OK?
He is going to be charged tomorrow with the murder.
With murder, unless he calls us tonight
and explains what's going on.
NARRATOR: The next day, there is still no word from Jontrel.
Sergeant Kjos issues a warrant for second degree murder.
If he continues to hide like this,
it just keeps making him look more and more guilty.
[music playing]
[phone rings]
Hello?
Yes.
Thank you very much.
Jontrel Bolden has been booked into Hennepin County Jail.
[music playing]
Now I can go interview him about why he ended up shooting Elyja.
[ambient street noise]
Nine times out of 10, you want an attorney.
But then there's that one time when you were truly
in fear of your life, it might be to your benefit
to tell us why you shot him.
Why did this shooting happen?
I mean, was there a previous encounter between these guys?
Or is this a gang thing?
He's not talking me right now.
So we don't know why.
[music playing]