HIBBING, MN – An early morning shooting outside a Hibbing apartment complex has left a 24-year-old man dead, with authorities charging a 30-year-old suspect in connection with the killing. Police say the incident unfolded just after a party, with the men having reportedly met for the first time only moments before gunfire erupted.
Officers responded to the Meadowview Apartments on the 5300 block of 9th Avenue West shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, following reports of gunshots. When they arrived, they found Parker Charles Johnson sprawled in the parking lot with apparent gunshot wounds to his chest. Attempts to revive Johnson at the scene were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.
Near Johnson’s body, officers discovered a shotgun and multiple spent cartridge casings from a 9 mm handgun. These clues led investigators to focus on Daniel James Dale, 30, who was last seen at the party held in the apartment building that night.
Witness accounts played a critical role in the investigation. One person told police they saw a man in a distinctive Deadpool sweatshirt fire shots into the nearby woods before that same individual reentered the party. Surveillance footage later confirmed Dale wore such apparel that night and removed it after officers arrived.
Initially, Dale gave police a different story. He claimed he had been inside the apartment building when the shots were fired, asserting he didn’t know Johnson and showing little concern during questioning. However, inconsistencies in his statements and evidence to the contrary kept investigators pressing.
When detectives pressed Dale for more information about his firearm—a 9 mm handgun matching spent casings at the scene—he admitted owning such a weapon, though he initially said he hadn’t used it recently, then changed his account to having fired it within a week. He refused to let police examine the handgun for forensic testing.
Eventually, after police explained Minnesota’s laws regarding self-defense, Dale admitted to firing at Johnson. According to Dale’s account, Johnson—described as an unfamiliar guest at the party—allegedly beckoned him to the parking lot under the pretense of showing him “something funny.” Dale said Johnson retrieved a long gun from his car and aimed it at him, prompting Dale to respond by firing three shots from his handgun.
Dale recounted returning to the party’s festivities rather than assisting Johnson after the shooting, reportedly saying he “tried not to freak out” in front of other guests. He also told investigators he had never met Johnson before that night.
However, surveillance footage cast doubt on aspects of Dale’s self-defense claim. The video captured a six-second gap between the first and subsequent shots. Forensic findings showed Johnson was first struck in the face, then shot in the back as he turned away, raising questions about the justification for the fatal force used.
Dale was arrested later on Sunday and now faces a charge of intentional second-degree murder. He is being held at the St. Louis County Jail without bond, with his next court appearance set for November 17.
Authorities have not announced whether additional charges might be filed as the investigation continues, or if new details could emerge regarding the events leading up to the deadly encounter.
