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A Mankato man is facing murder charges after a shooting in November that allegedly occurred following a dispute over a debt for unpaid THC cartridges. Mankato murder charges over THC carts What we know: A'quan Kaishaid Laurence Thornton, 23, is charged with second-degree murder following a shooting that occurred on Nov. 9, 2025. Mankato police say they responded to the reported shooting near a business in the area of Holly Lane and Madison Avenue around 9:30 a.m., where they found a man dead inside a vehicle. At the scene, witnesses inside the victim's vehicle said they were driving around when he received a video call from Thornton, during which they discussed owing him money, and the threat of a shooting occurred. A witness claimed when they drove onto Holly Lane a short time later, they saw Thornton near a bush in possession of a "Draco" style assault rifle. When the vehicle made a U-turn, witnesses claim that Thornton fired up to six shots in their direction, one of which fatally struck the victim in the neck. Both witnesses identified Thornton as the shooter to police investigators. Mankato murder suspect arrested Dig deeper: Following the shooting, police set up a perimeter around an apartment complex where Thornton was believed to be living, charges state. He eventually came out with his hands up and a loaded black assault rifle in his pants, according to the charges. When questioned by investigators, Thornton stated he fired off "warning shots," but initially stated he didn't know where he fired them – later admitting they were toward the hood of the victim’s car. According to charges, Thornton admitted that he and the victim "had problems" stemming from owed money for THC cartridges which the victim allegedly said he had no intent of paying back.
