Minneapolis, Minnesota — A 50-year-old man was taken into custody Monday after allegedly shooting and killing a woman the previous day. The victim, identified by her family as Mariah Rosanna Samuels, 34, had recently filed a court petition claiming she had been threatened and assaulted by the suspect.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene in the 1400 block of Russell Avenue North shortly after 7:50 a.m. Sunday, where they found Samuels injured. Despite attempts to administer aid, she was pronounced dead at the location, according to a police statement.
Witnesses reported that the suspect fled prior to the arrival of law enforcement. Officers were able to track him down and placed him under arrest around 3 a.m. Monday. He is currently being held at the Hennepin County jail on suspicion of murder.
Samuels leaves behind two sons, aged 18 years and younger. Her sister, Simone Hunter, expressed relief that the children were not present during the tragic incident. “They were thankfully not there when their mother was shot,” she remarked, mourning the loss of a beloved family member.
Just weeks before her death, Samuels sought a protective order against the man she had called her former boyfriend. In her petition filed on August 26, she described a disturbing pattern of intimidation that began after their relationship ended. According to court documents, the suspect was served with the petition shortly thereafter.
The protection order request detailed a troubling encounter on August 21, when the man allegedly called Samuels while standing outside her home, claiming he wanted to deliver a gift. He then reportedly sent alarming text messages threatening to damage her home, where her father also resides.
In another incident, he tracked her to a nearby location and physically assaulted her, wielding a firearm in the process. The petition recounts how he struck her with both his hands and the gun, resulting in significant fear for her safety.
Further allegations included threats made by the suspect, where he reportedly pushed Samuels against a fence, grabbed her throat, and warned of potential violence toward anyone who might intervene. The chilling details of her ordeal shed light on the extreme risks she faced leading up to her tragic death.
As the investigation continues, family members are left grappling with the loss. They remember Samuels not only as a devoted mother but as someone who brought joy and laughter to those around her.