Hoyt Lakes man charged with murder of 24-year-old Hibbing man

HIBBING — A Hoyt Lakes man was charged with second-degree intentional murder Wednesday, Nov. 5, in the killing of a 24-year-old Hibbing man.

Daniel James Dale, 30, allegedly shot Parker Charles Johnson early Sunday morning in the parking lot of Meadowview Apartments in Hibbing.

According to the criminal complaint, the Hibbing Police Department responded to reports of gunfire around 2:15 a.m. and found Johnson lying on the ground next to a truck.

Johnson was bleeding from his mouth and appeared to have a gunshot wound in his upper chest and another in his abdomen. He was semi-conscious, and responders began lifesaving efforts, but he was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers learned Johnson was attending an after-party at the apartment complex after visiting a local bar.

Dale was also at the bar and the party, according to authorities. He was initially detained with others at the party before being released after telling police he’d been inside at the time of the gunfire.

Law enforcement identified him as the potential shooter after a witness said they’d seen a man in a Deadpool sweatshirt firing a gun outside. Dale was wearing a Deadpool sweatshirt in body camera footage from when officers arrived at the scene.

Officers called Dale into the police station Sunday afternoon to provide another statement, where police said he was read his rights and agreed to talk.

Dale allegedly told officers it’d been a while since he last shot a gun and that he’d heard “pops” while outside but went back in because he didn’t like “that kind of energy.” He declined to give his gun to law enforcement to compare with the casings found at the scene, saying he was not comfortable giving up his property.

After being informed that self-defense is a defense in Minnesota, Dale allegedly told officers, “We are going to stop. I am going to say, yes, I shot him. Yes, I f***ing shot him and it has been eating away at me all f***ing night.”

He then told officers he shot Johnson in self-defense. According to the complaint, Dale said “some white boy at the party” asked if he wanted to see something funny. When he went outside with him, Johnson took a long gun out of his truck and pointed it at Dale, and Dale shot him.

Dale said he lied to officers because he thought Minnesota was a “duty to retreat” state, and he would be jailed.

Under Minnesota law, force can only be used as a last resort if there is not a “reasonable possibility to retreat to avoid the danger.”

Dale said he did not render aid because he didn’t want his DNA on Johnson and knew because of the location of the wounds that Johnson “was f***ed.”

But law enforcement said autopsy and security footage evidence contradict Dale’s version of events.

In audio from a nearby security camera, a single gunshot can be heard, then two more six seconds later. The autopsy report shows Johnson was shot once in the left side of his face and then twice in the back.

Law enforcement said that contradicts Dale’s claim that he shot Johnson immediately after the gun was pointed at him.

In Minnesota, second-degree murder is when someone intentionally kills another person without premeditation.

Dale faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted.

His unconditional bail/bond was set at $1 million Wednesday morning, and he was still in custody at noon.

Dale's next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 17.