In Plymouth, Minnesota, a 19-year-old young man has been accused of murder of a teenager from Albertville, due to an incident involving a pair of designer sneakers.

Augustus Sirleaf, of Plymouth has been charged with 2nd degree murder with intent, and 2nd degree murder without intent, while committing a felony. He is accused of fatally shooting 17-year-old Yaseen Thomas Johnson of Albertville on November 14. 

There were other suspects involved in the murder, and Sirleaf is only one of them. An 18-year-old was detained but released and remains under investigation, and police are still looking for a third suspect, a 19-year-old named Hans Madame, of New Hope. 

According to police, they responded to a shooting in Plymouth at 5:56 pm on November 14, and found Johnson dead in the passenger seat of a vehicle, the victim of three gunshots, including to his upper chest and head. 

When police arrived, a man told them he had been in the driver’s seat of the car where Johnson was shot and he fled the violence. He told police that he and Johnson had arrived at the parking lot of the apartment complex to purchase shoes, and met some other men there, who had a conversation with them in the car. One of those men was Sirleaf. They were brokering a deal over a pair of Balenciaga sneakers. 

During the negotiation of the sale, Johnson and Sirleaf had a brief disagreement and Sirleaf pulled out a gun. The witness said that Sirleaf quickly shot Johnson. 

Police found a red Nike backpack and a pair of Balenciaga brand white and black shoes at the scene, corroborating the witness’ story about the shoe deal. 

Police also uncovered discharged gun casings. There were bullet holes in the front windshield of the car and a side window. 

The backpack contained credit card receipts. The receipts were associated with one of the three suspects. 

Surveillance video from an apartment complex nearby showed more evidence of what had transpired after the attack, in which the culprits were spotted. This and other testimony from the suspect that had been detained gave the police a clearer picture of what had happened. 

The shoe deal turned out to be a premeditated robbery that became fatal. It had been planned by the suspects.

Police records state that after the robbery, Sirleaf said he “had no choice but to shoot.”