Blaine Man Killed Trying to Recover Stolen Items

Last Wednesday a man was killed in a Target parking lot while trying to recover items stolen from his auto repair shop.

Kenneth Alan Nieson was run down in the Target parking lot after confronting the alleged thief that broke into his auto shop and stole several items.  Nieson told St Paul police that his shop had been broken into Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

Nieson noticed some of what he believed was his stolen property for sale on Facebook Marketplace. He arranged to meet the "seller" in the target parking lot in hopes of retrieving his stolen items.

Surveillance shows Nieson and some others arrive at the Blaine Target parking lot in two cars about 9:30 Wednesday night.  Next a white GMC Yukon pulled up next to Nieson's car.  Someone got out of the car and looked into the back of the Yukon and noticed several items believed stolen from Nieson.

The second vehicle then pulled up to partially block the Yukon. That's when the "seller" drove around the car partially blocking him and accelerated rapidly, running over Nieson with both the front and rear wheels, it's believed, killing Nieson.

Pierre Jerel Anderson was later arrested and is facing charges in Anoka County Court  of 2nd degree murder while committing a felony. As of Friday, Anderson was being held in Anoka County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail

It's a very unfortunate outcome. In hindsight, it would have been a much better idea to involve the police in this sting operation.  Our thoughts are with the Nieson family after this tragedy.

(InForum)

https://www.inforum.com/news/crime-and-courts/4871565-Minnesota-shop-owner-spots-stolen-items-on-Facebook-is-run-over-while-meeting-%E2%80%98seller%E2%80%99-to-get-them-back-charges-say