The deceased victim of two teenage students who are now charged with murder stemming from a shooting at a Richfield high school is the son of a high-profile Black Lives Matter (BLM) activist who himself has trouble with the law.
“Fernando Valdez-Alvarez, 18, and Alfredo R. Solis, 19, were charged in Hennepin County District Court Friday with one count each of second-degree murder and two counts each of attempted second-degree murder,” according to reports.
Valdez-Alvarez and Solis stand accused of killing 15-year-old Jahmari Rice and gravely wounding a 17-year-old student who is fighting for his life. The incident occurred on Tuesday.
Cortez Rice, the father of Jahmari Rice, has falsely claimed to be George Floyd’s nephew and has played a large role in BLM protests and riots in Minneapolis and beyond.
The elder Rice stands accused of felony harassment stemming from the trial of former Brooklyn Park Police officer Kimberly Potter, who was convicted in December of manslaughter in the killing of Daunte Wright. Rice was arrested in December in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, where Potter’s trial occurred, on a warrant issued in Hennepin County.
In a viral video, he paid a visit to the alleged home of the judge in Potter’s trial, Regina Chu.
“We just got confirmation that this is her house right here. Just waiting for the gang to get up here,” Rice said in that video. Dominantly white neighborhood, look at this s—.”
Cortez remains in jail while awaiting trial.
He confirmed that Jahmari Rice is his son during a Wednesday pre-trial hearing, asking the judge to allow him a furlough to attend his son’s funeral or transfer him to house arrest. Those requests were denied.
In the same hearing, his attorney asked that the charges against him be dropped. There has been no ruling on that request.
Potter was found guilty of manslaughter after killing Wright during a traffic stop. When Wright attempted to flee, Potter fired on him with her service pistol. In her defense, she said she meant to fire her Taser.
Her sentencing is scheduled for February 18. She faces up to 15 years in prison.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Minnesota Sun and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jahmari Rice” by LaTanya Conner and Jasmine Hollins. Background Photo “South Education Center Academy” by South Education Center Academy.
