Darius Handy — Man Killed in Daytime Shooting; Suspect Dies in Later Exchange With Deputies

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Summary: Darius Handy, 33, was fatally shot while driving in Duluth, Minnesota, on February 10, 2026, after a roadside dispute escalated into gunfire from suspect Donald Felver III, 30. Handy died at the scene from multiple wounds. Hours later, Felver led deputies on a chase, firing at them before being killed in the ensuing exchange. The two men knew each other from prior legal matters, reports say.

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DULUTH, Minn. (DailyKenn.com) — A 33-year-old Duluth man died after being shot while stopped in traffic, setting off a sequence of events that ended with the suspected gunman's death in a confrontation with law enforcement hours later, authorities said.

Darius Handy was behind the wheel of his maroon Chevrolet Tahoe on February 10 when another driver pulled alongside him near the intersection of West Fourth Street and Piedmont Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. According to police, the two men had engaged in a heated verbal exchange earlier that day. Surveillance footage from a school bus and a state transportation camera captured the vehicles parked side by side for about five minutes around 3:40 p.m.

Moments later, as Handy paused at a stop sign amid midafternoon rush hour, the other driver opened fire from his black Chevy Tahoe, discharging five or six rounds, investigators reported. Handy's vehicle struck a curb and came to rest in the intersection. A nearby resident working on a rooftop, Mark Carlson, observed the vehicles halt, heard the gunfire echo for roughly two minutes, and watched one car speed away. "I did everything I could," Carlson later told reporters, expressing regret despite never knowing Handy personally. Another bystander in the area also reported hearing multiple shots and alerted emergency services.

Duluth police arrived shortly after 3:43 p.m. following a call about a possible seizure. Officers discovered Handy with multiple gunshot wounds, pulled him from the SUV, and administered aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities confirmed. Investigators recovered shell casings from the site, which forensic analysis by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension later matched with "high confidence" to those found at a subsequent incident, linking the scenes to the same firearm.

That evening, around 9:45 p.m., St. Louis County deputies spotted the suspect's vehicle swerving erratically on Grand Avenue near 59th Avenue West. The driver, identified as 30-year-old Donald Felver III of Duluth, ignored commands to stop and led a pursuit, officials said. Deputies executed a tactical maneuver to halt the Tahoe in the 7900 block of Grand Avenue. Felver, alone in the vehicle, fired at the officers, prompting Sgt. Joshua Berndt and Deputy Matthew Sobczak to return fire, striking and killing him, according to the BCA's preliminary findings. A handgun and spent casings were recovered from Felver's SUV. The deputies, each with over 15 years of experience, sustained no injuries and were placed on leave pending review.

Authorities noted that Handy and Felver knew each other and had appeared in prior legal cases together, though no motive for the dispute has been disclosed. The BCA continues to probe the use-of-force encounter, with additional ballistics testing underway by federal agents. No charges are expected, as the suspect is deceased.

The shootings have stirred unease in Duluth. Police Chief Mike Ceynowa described the daytime attack in a busy area as cause for significant alarm, with commuters and students nearby heightening risks. Mayor Roger Reinert condemned gun violence as intolerable and commended first responders for their swift actions, urging residents to share in safeguarding the community. Handy's family portrayed him as a devoted father and sibling with an infectious laugh who cherished his late grandmother, mother, and three sisters. Community members expressed grief over the losses, calling for prayers and emphasizing that two lives ended needlessly amid lingering questions.

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