A 30-year-old man from Hoyt Lakes has been charged with second-degree murder following a deadly shooting outside an apartment complex in Hibbing earlier this month. According to court documents, police were dispatched to the parking lot of the Meadowview Apartments around 2:15 a.m. on November 2 after multiple reports of gunfire.
When officers arrived, they found 24-year-old Parker Charles Johnson lying next to a pickup truck with gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen. Officers attempted life-saving measures, but Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene. A shotgun was found near his body, along with several spent 9 mm shell casings.
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Investigators learned that Johnson had spent the evening at a local bar before attending a party at the Meadowview Apartments. Witnesses reported seeing a man in a Deadpool sweatshirt fire three shots in the parking lot. The shooter was later identified as Daniel Dale, Northern News Now reported.
When questioned by police, Dale initially denied involvement, claiming he had been inside the building when the gunshots were fired. Officers noted that he laughed during the conversation and gave inconsistent answers about whether he had recently fired a gun. Body camera footage later confirmed he was wearing a Deadpool hoodie at the scene, which he removed and handed to another person before leaving the area.
After being asked to give a formal statement at the police station, Dale changed his story multiple times. Initially, he told officers he had gone outside to vape and heard gunfire. When pressed further, he admitted firing the shots but claimed he acted in self-defense.
Dale said Johnson had asked him to “see something funny” and led him to the parking lot. Once there, Dale claimed Johnson reached into his truck and pulled out a long gun, prompting him to fire two or three times. He stated that he shot Johnson after the barrel of the gun was pointed toward him.
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“I can’t believe you just pointed that at me,” Dale allegedly told Johnson before the victim collapsed. He then returned to the party and pretended nothing had happened.
Dale later apologized for lying, saying he was afraid of being arrested because Minnesota has a “duty to retreat” law. However, security footage from the apartment complex contradicted his account, revealing a six-second gap between the first and second series of shots, suggesting the shooting was not as immediate as he claimed.
Dale remains in custody and faces one count of second-degree murder. His next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.