Death: Tanasha Brittanya Shurnene Austin shot and killed in Lowry Hill Shooting – The lady who was shot and murdered in Lowry Hill Friday morning has been identified by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office. Tanasha Brittanya Shurnene Austin, 30, of St. Cloud, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to a news release issued by the office on Sunday morning.
According to the Star Tribune database, this is the 14th homicide in Minneapolis this year. The 7:40 a.m. gunshot in the 1900 block of South Colfax was allegedly caused by an altercation, and a 911 caller reported that a person was placed into a car and driven away. Officers were informed at the site that Austin had sustained a life-threatening gunshot wound and had been transported to Hennepin Healthcare. She passed away in the hospital.
According to yrtnews.com, A number of people met at the shooting site on Saturday night to release blue balloons in Austin’s honor. They lighted candles and sat in silence for a minute. As the balloons soared skyward, a woman sang the anthem “I Need Thee Every Hour,” and the throng chanted “We love you, Nasha!”
“I am heartbroken about the [death] of my big cousin Tanasha Austin!” Ariana Joy Julien of Brooklyn Park paid tribute to her in a Facebook post. “You were removed far too soon!” When Lowry Hill resident Zach Morris arrived at noon on Sunday, the memorial candles were still glowing. Morris said he hasn’t been able to sleep since witnessing the shooting and calling 911.
Morris said he was smoking outside after work on Friday morning when he noticed a white Dodge Charger with at least three persons inside drive up in front of his apartment. Austin then threatened to contact the cops and inform them all about one of the males in the car. “It was terrifying.” “It all occurred so quickly,” Morris remarked. “Before the gunfire, I was worried about her.”
A shot was fired as Austin exited the vehicle, and Morris observed her stagger backward and fall flat on her back on the pavement. He then stood there watching as the car’s passengers battled to get her back into the vehicle.”They finally got him inside the car as soon as we heard the [police] siren,” Morris recalled, adding that the vehicle left just as police arrived.
