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Ricky Cobb II

Age :

Gender : Male

Race : Black

Date : 08/15/2023

Location : Interstate 94 near Dowling Avenue North

City : Minneapolis

County : Hennepin

State : Minnesota

Agency : Minnesota State Police

Officer(s) :Ryan Londegran, Brett Seide,Garrett Erickson

Cause of Death : Gunshot

Event : Killed by police during traffic stop done for defective brake lights

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 07/31/2023, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Minnesota State Trooper Brett Seide stopped 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II on Interstate 94 near Dowling Avenue North after observing his vehicle being driven without functioning rear lights. During the traffic stop, Seide learned that Ramsey County had issued probable cause for Cobb's arrest for an alleged felony violation of a domestic order for protection. Troopers Ryan Londregan and Garrett Erickson arrived to assist with the arrest.
Body-camera and dash-camera video showed the three troopers approaching Cobb's vehicle from both sides. The troopers ordered Cobb to get out of the vehicle. Cobb remained seated while the troopers attempted to physically remove him from the driver's seat. Seide opened the driver's door while Londregan opened the passenger door. During the struggle, Cobb placed the vehicle into gear and began driving forward. Seide was partially inside the vehicle as it started moving.
As the vehicle accelerated, Trooper Ryan Londregan fired two rounds through the driver's side window, striking Cobb in the chest. Cobb continued driving approximately one-quarter mile before his vehicle struck a concrete median. Emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene. Investigators recovered a handgun and ammunition from inside Cobb's vehicle, although body-camera video did not show Cobb holding or pointing the firearm before Londregan fired.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigated the shooting. The agency released body-camera video, squad-car video, photographs, and investigative materials. The videos became central evidence in both the criminal prosecution and later civil litigation.
On 01/24/2024, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged Trooper Ryan Londregan with second-degree unintentional murder, first-degree manslaughter, and second-degree assault, making him one of the few American police officers in recent years to face murder charges for an on-duty shooting. Prosecutors alleged that deadly force was not legally justified under Minnesota law.
During pretrial proceedings, Londregan's attorneys disclosed additional evidence, including his anticipated testimony that he believed Cobb reached for Seide's firearm while the vehicle was moving. The defense also presented testimony from a Minnesota State Patrol training instructor stating that troopers were not instructed that shooting into a moving vehicle during an extraction was prohibited. After reviewing the new evidence, prosecutors concluded they could no longer prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Londregan's use of deadly force was unauthorized. On 06/02/2024, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office dismissed all criminal charges. The office later released a 69-page report explaining the dismissal and the evidence considered.
Ricky Cobb II's mother, Nyra Jean Miller-Fields, filed a federal civil-rights and wrongful-death lawsuit against Troopers Ryan Londregan and Brett Seide. The complaint alleged unreasonable seizure and excessive force, arguing that the troopers unnecessarily escalated the encounter by attempting to pull Cobb from the vehicle. Garrett Erickson was not named as a defendant.
On 10/30/2024, U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel dismissed the claims against Ryan Londregan, ruling that he was entitled to qualified immunity because a reasonable officer could have believed Brett Seide faced an immediate threat of serious injury or death as the vehicle moved forward. On 01/21/2025, the court also dismissed the remaining claims against Brett Seide. On 07/07/2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit unanimously affirmed the dismissal, concluding that the troopers' actions were objectively reasonable under the circumstances.
No public record located through August 2026 indicates that Ricky Cobb II's family obtained a monetary settlement or jury verdict. The federal civil lawsuit concluded with dismissal of the claims, and the Eighth Circuit affirmed that outcome in 2026.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://keyt.com/news/2023/08/01/minnesota-officials-investigating-fatal-officer-involved-shooting-of-a-man-during-a-traffic-stop-in-minneapolis/
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/bca-names-trooper-who-shot-killed-ricky-cobb-ii-ryan-londregan/
https://apnews.com/article/c7c7a08bcc9f0fe27c5a554e6ca18fd6
https://apnews.com/article/6948394557cdd5c6783303253b98ea11
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/charges-dropped-against-minnesota-trooper-who-killed-black-motorist-2024-06-03/
https://www.hennepinattorney.org/news/news/2024/July/londregan-case-report
https://apnews.com/article/bc34ff9083d6fcf56d9c553536676ca1
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-ricky-cobb-brett-seide/
https://www.startribune.com/appeals-court-upholds-dismissal-of-lawsuit-against-state-troopers-who-killed-ricky-cobb/601865423