In a shocking turn of events, four teenage boys have been charged in connection to the tragic shooting of 18-year-old Diamond Manly, a high school senior from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Authorities say Manly was fatally shot during a robbery on March 2, an incident that has left the community reeling.
According to court documents, the suspects—aged between 14 and 17—were arrested more than two weeks after Manly’s body was discovered inside a vehicle on a residential street in Ramsey, Minnesota. Investigators used surveillance footage and phone records to track down the suspects, leading to their eventual apprehension.
One of the teens, speaking in a post-Miranda statement, admitted that on the evening of March 1, he and three others were at a residence when one of them expressed a desire to obtain a marijuana cartridge and rob someone. Another suspect, a 14-year-old, claimed he knew a seller—identified as Manly—and arranged a meeting.
Court filings reveal that Manly, unaware of their true intentions, shared an address near where he was later found dead. When the group arrived, Manly sat inside his car while the suspects stood outside. As Manly rolled down his window to discuss the transaction, he suddenly attempted to drive away. At that moment, a 17-year-old suspect reportedly pulled a gun from his backpack and fired through the open window, striking Manly.
Though the teens initially fled, two of them allegedly returned to steal money and marijuana cartridges from the dying victim. One suspect later told police that Manly pleaded for help as they took his belongings.
A subsequent police search uncovered crucial evidence, including a backpack containing cartridges identical to those Manly had, a 9mm cartridge matching the crime scene, and a large sum of cash.
Prosecutors have filed motions to charge the teens as adults. Manly, a senior at Champlin Park High School, had recently enlisted in the Army, making his untimely death even more devastating for his grieving family.
