Man shot victim for wearing a hoodie on a ‘nice day’

Background: The Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minn. (Google Maps). Inset: William Howard Sanders IV (Hennepin County Jail).

A Minnesota man who fatally shot a 24-year-old man who he deemed “suspicious” for wearing a hoodie on a “nice day” will spend the next few decades in prison.

William Howard Sanders IV, 39, pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder on Thursday, a year after he fatally shot 24-year-old De”Jaun Marquise Michael Hall in Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office stated that Sanders was sentenced the same day to 400 months — just over 33 years — in prison for the crime. He will get credit for time served.

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As Law&Crime previously reported, Sanders and Hall had their fateful encounter on the evening of Sept. 3, 2024. The two men were standing outside 1st Avenue South and East 19th Street in Minneapolis when an argument broke out.

Surveillance video captured the moment that Sanders took a gun out of his fanny pack and Hall ran for his life. Sanders followed Hall and shot him in the back. While Hall was on the ground, raising his hands in surrender, Sanders shot him twice more, killing the younger man.

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After police tracked Sanders down at a hotel, they detained him and read him his rights. Sanders then admitted to shooting Hall while he was high on PCP. He told police that he became “suspicious” of Hall because he was wearing a “hooded sweatshirt on a nice day,” per the probable cause arrest affidavit.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in the statement released Thursday, “This was a terrible act of violence. Mr. Sanders needlessly escalated an argument by drawing and using a firearm to kill De’Jaun Hall.” She added, “My thoughts are with De’Jaun’s family as this case is resolved. We can do nothing to return the person they lost but Mr. Sanders will be held accountable, and our community is safe from further harm at his hands.”

Dave Harris contributed to this story.