Ricky Cobb II shooting: Ryan Londregan's trial date set
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Hennepin County judge has set the trial date for Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Ryan Londregan, who is charged with murder, manslaughter and assault in the fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II during a traffic stop last summer.
Judge Tamara Garcia set the trial to begin on Sept. 9 during a hearing on Wednesday afternoon. The trial is expected to take three weeks.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office brought in outside help to prosecute the case, signing a $1 million contract with the Washington, D.C.-based firm Steptoe earlier this month.
Judge Tamara Garcia admitted the Steptoe attorneys to practice law in Minnesota despite Londregan's defense team filing a motion to disqualify the outside counsel. They argued the Steptoe team has "multiple impermissible financial motives to prosecute this case" according to court documents.
Hennepin County Assistant Attorney Joshua Larson, who was the initial lead prosecutor in the case before stepping away, was in court on Wednesday with the Steptoe team.
Law enforcement organizations have expressed support for Londregan during his court appearances. Some argue he was following his training.
Meanwhile, Ricky Cobb's family has filed a lawsuit against Londregan and another state trooper involved.
Body-worn camera footage shows Cobb was fleeing when Londregan fired his weapon twice.
Londregan faces murder, manslaughter charges
Londregan is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, second-degree manslaughter, and first-degree assault in connection to the July 31, 2023, traffic stop. These charges came nearly six months after the fatal shooting and followed calls from Cobb’s family for the firing and charging of Londregan.
Minnesota State Patrol troopers pulled over Cobb during a traffic stop on Interstate 94 near 42nd Avenue around 1:50 a.m. on July 31, 2023. Authorities previously said Cobb had a felony warrant out of Ramsey County and attempted to detain him when he fled. A trooper then shot Cobb, and he died from his injuries.
Dash camera and body camera videos that were released show the three troopers approaching Cobb's vehicle and asking him to get out of the car, and then they attempt to physically remove him after he refused to exit. Londregan then fired his gun, killing Cobb.
Following the shooting, the BCA has said there was a gun in the back of Cobb's vehicle — but never visibly in his possession — when he was fatally shot.
Londregan had about 1.5 years of law enforcement experience at the time of the shooting.
According to his family, Cobb was the father of two sons, ages 8 and 10.
All three troopers involved in the traffic stop were placed on administrative leave following the incident.
