Spotlight on Crime brings Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Minnesota's business community together to solve cases
July 14, 2022
Ladavionne Garrett Jr., 10, was shot and severely wounded April 30, 2021, while riding in a vehicle. He remained hospitalized for the next six months.
Six-year-old Aniya Allen was shot May 17, 2021, while riding in her mother's car in Minneapolis. She died two days later.
Spotlight on Crime is offering up to $180,000 for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for shooting the two children.
These are just two of the cases selected by Spotlight on Crime in the hope that a significant reward could help prompt a witness or someone with information to step forward and provide law enforcement with useful information to help solve the crimes.
Since June 2001, Spotlight on Crime has offered more than $1.4 million in rewards for information on select cases. The partnership between the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Minnesota's business community aims to bring new information to 26 unsolved cases across the state. Spotlight on Crime offers money in exchange for information on heinous crimes, giving law enforcement more tools to investigate criminal cases. A substantial reward may encourage witnesses to step forward and share information. It also creates publicity around a case that can lead to new witnesses and information.
Cases are selected by the Spotlight on Crime Advisory Board, which reviews and selects cases based on solvability and the likelihood that someone has information that could help solve the crime. The board focuses on violent crimes such as homicides or abductions.
“This fund was originally created for serious, long-term unsolved investigations," said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans, an Advisory Board member. “We focus on these types of crimes because they represent particular harm to not only the victims, but the community as a whole. This was part of the consideration when we highlighted the three children who were shot in Minneapolis last year. The funding is limited, so we have to limit the number of cases we can accept in the program."
Rewards are offered when most accepted investigative efforts have been exhausted and the law enforcement agency and prosecuting authority agree reward money could prompt someone to come forward.
Rewards are paid if the information provided leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the crime. BCA protects the identity of reward recipients to keep them safe from any retaliation.
The funds from the program come from companies including: Target Corporation, The St. Paul Companies, General Mills, 3M, TCF Financial Corporation, US Bancorp, Wells Fargo, The Hubbard Foundation, Deloitte & Touche, Supervalu, Ernst and Young LLP, Liberty Diversified Industries, Marvin Lumber & Cender Co., Travelers Cos. Inc., HealthPartners, Ceridian, Thrivent Financial and Martin and Esther Capp Foundation.
“This program is designed to provide an incentive for information leading to arrest and prosecution of individuals for these terrible crimes. When these most serious crimes are solved there is great satisfaction knowing our programs are assisting to keep Minnesotans safe and bring accountability and to begin the process of healing for families across the state," Evans said.
Projects like Spotlight on Crime provide Minnesota's criminal justice system with the information they need to help make Minnesota a safer place to live.
For more information on Spotlight on Crime and how it works go to
www.spotlightoncrime.org.
