Tragedy struck the Minnesota city of St. Cloud on April 21st, when a 16-year-old named Israel Muyaya Madimba stole a vehicle and then, while on a joyride in it and listening to a song about murder, ran over and killed a 61-year-old pedestrian, Norbert Olmscheid. Madimba stole the vehicle from the YMCA after finding the keys in a locker.
In a press release about the horrific attack released on April 22nd, the City of St. Cloud Police Department said:
On 4/21/2023 Officers responded to a call of a vehicle striking a pedestrian. Officers arrived on scene and located a 70-year-old male victim from St. Cloud who was unresponsive. The male had been walking on a walking path prior to being struck by a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old male from Sauk Rapids. Officers performed life-saving measures on the victim. The victim was ultimately transported to the hospital where he later died.
The driver of the vehicle ran from the scene but was ultimately taken into custody by officers. Investigation revealed the suspect had stolen a vehicle blocks away from the scene of the crash. A short time after stealing the vehicle, the driver saw a person, not known to him, on a walking path between 9th Avenue and 6th Avenue North. The suspect admitted he drove on the walking path and intentionally struck the victim. The exact motive is still under investigation.
The juvenile was transported to the Stearns County jail and later transported to a secure juvenile detention center where he is being held on charges related to 2nd Degree Murder.
St. Cloud Fire and Mayo Ambulance service assisted with providing medical attention to the victim. The Minnesota State Patrol assisted in accident reconstruction.
The body of the victim will be transported to the Midwest Medical Examiners* Office for an autopsy. Identification of the victim will be released in the coming days.
This investigation is ongoing
— SCPD (@StCloudPDMN) April 24, 2023
The preliminary charges brought against Madimba include both a 1st-degree premeditated murder charge and a 2nd-degree murder with intent but not premeditated charge. A grand jury will be convened to determine whether the 1st-degree murder charge is warranted, but, as of now, it would appear that it is because Madimba told the police that he intentionally ran over the victim while listening to a song about murder, indicating that he intentionally planned and then struck and killed the victim.
Madimba made his first court appearance on Monday, April 24th. During that hearing, the judge set his bail at $1 million with conditions or $2 million without conditions. His next hearing is scheduled for May 8.
No booking photo of Madimba is available yet.
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