Shooting suspect and mother charged

The mother and son who fled following the shooting death of Joseph James Peterson on Dec. 28 were apprehended last week.

Alleged shooter Joseph James Fohrenkam, 18, and his mother, Little Fawn Fohrenkam, both made their initial appearances in St. Louis County Court in recent days: Joseph on Friday, Jan. 8, and Little Fawn on Monday.

Both had shaved their heads to alter their appearance after fleeing the scene more than two weeks ago, and Little Fawn told police she drove her son away from the scene to protect him and hid him from law enforcement, according to the criminal complaint. She allegedly ditched her car to further conceal their whereabouts.

According to the criminal complaint, Joseph Fohrenkam was drinking with four other young men — Peterson was the youngest, at age 16 — in a parked truck outside a home on the 3600 block of Giiniw Road the night of Dec. 27. According to three witnesses who were interviewed by law enforcement, they were just drinking and talking, not arguing. Fohrenkam allegedly had a pistol, which he was “showing off” and “waving around.” At least two of the witnesses said they thought Fohrenkam may have hit his arm on the center console, causing the pistol to discharge.

Peterson was seated in the middle of the back seat. The bullet hit him below his left eye and killed him.

According to the criminal complaint, officers could hear a male and female yelling and/or arguing in the background of the 911 call made at 1:19 a.m. Dec. 28, believed to be Joseph Fohrenkam and his mother, Littlefawn Fohrenkam, during which the woman allegedly said “Son, please stop, no,” and he responded “what I did mom, f**k” and she asks why he did that.

When they heard the gun go off and saw Peterson bleeding, the two younger witnesses initially ran into the house. They then heard more gunshots outside, which were allegedly fired by Fohrenkam at an unknown target, possibly a bottle on the ground or the truck. At least one said he thought Fohrenkam might have been shooting himself “because he was upset that he just killed his close friend.”

All three of the witnesses fled the scene before the police arrived, as did Fohrenkam and his mother.

The Fohrenkams were located in an apartment in Mahnomen, Minnesota on Wednesday, Jan. 6. According to the criminal complaint, Little Fawn had provided law enforcement with a false name before her son was found hiding within a couch with coverings that had been placed after his concealment. The complaint did not include details of how their location was discovered.

Joseph Fohrenkam faces charges of felony second-degree manslaughter and Little Fawn is being charged with aiding an offender to avoid arrest, a felony. Her bail was set at $30,000. Joseph Fohrenkam’s bail is set at $400,000.

Manslaughter charges are not murder charges: in this case, the charge description notes that Fohrenkam caused “the death of a human being” and is culpable because he created an “unreasonable risk and consciously took a chance of causing death or great bodily harm to another.” The maximum sentence for manslaughter in the second degree is 10 years or $20,000.

An omnibus hearing for Joseph Fohrenkam is set for Feb. 1 and for Little Fawn Fohrenkam on Feb. 5. Little Fawn was released with conditions. Joseph remains in custody.