Nicole "Nicki" Lenway, a forensic scientist for the local police department, had been shot in broad daylight.
The incident, captured on surveillance video, unfolded in the parking lot of FamilyWise, a parenting center.
Lenway, a mother of a 5-year-old, was there to pick up her son from a supervised visit with her ex-boyfriend, Tim Amacher.
From the investigation of the crime scene to the dramatic courtroom proceedings, every detail revealed a tale of betrayal, survival, and justice.
Let's get into it.
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| Nicki Lenway |
The Shooting Incident
Nicole Lenway’s life changed forever on the afternoon of April 20, 2022.
As she walked toward the FamilyWise center, an armed assailant dressed in all black approached her from behind.
Surveillance footage captured the horrifying moment the shooter fired at point-blank range, striking Lenway in the arm and neck.
After the shooting, the attacker fled the scene in a black Dodge Ram truck, leaving Lenway bleeding and fighting for her life.
Despite her injuries, Lenway managed to dial 911 for assistance.
However, her cries for help were inaudible due to the gunshot wound to her neck, making it difficult for responders to understand her.
Emilie Clancy, who was driving by at the time, witnessed the shooting and immediately sprang into action.
She helped Lenway into her car, took over the 911 call, and applied pressure to Lenway’s neck until first responders arrived.
Lenway was rushed to the hospital with a perforated lung, damaged vocal cords, and a bullet lodged between her ribs.
Thankfully, she survived the horrifying attack.
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| Nicki Lenway shortly before she was shot |
Investigation and Arrest
After Nicole Lenway was rushed to the hospital, crime scene investigators meticulously combed through the parking lot of the FamilyWise parenting center, where the shooting occurred.
They recovered three discharged bullet casings and blood samples, which were crucial pieces of evidence.
However, the shooter had fled the scene in a black Dodge Ram truck, leaving no immediate clues about their identity.
Surveillance footage showed the assailant dressed in all black, wearing a medical mask and gloves, making facial identification impossible.
The truck used in the escape had no license plate, further complicating the investigation.
Despite these hurdles, criminal investigators were determined to follow every lead.
After regaining consciousness in the hospital, Lenway was interviewed by detectives from the local police department.
During the interview, she expressed her strong belief that her ex-boyfriend, Tim Amacher, could be involved in the shooting.
This crucial statement provided investigators with a key lead.
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| Nicki Lenway's shooter fleeing the crime scene |
Amacher, who had been inside the FamilyWise center during the shooting, initially seemed to have a solid alibi.
However, when questioned about his vehicles, he mentioned owning a Jeep and a Dodge Challenger but failed to disclose that he also owned a black Dodge Ram truck.
When detectives confronted Tim Amacher about the black Dodge Ram truck, he admitted to owning one but claimed the vehicle captured on surveillance footage at the crime scene was not his.
He pointed out that his truck had license plates and Superman decal stickers near the front doors, unlike the one seen in the video.
This explanation, however, only deepened investigators' suspicions.
The major breakthrough in the case came when investigators turned to digital evidence.
FBI Special Agent Richard Fennern, a technology specialist, joined the criminal investigation.
He discovered that Amacher’s Dodge Ram truck was equipped with Wi-Fi, much like a cellphone, and it left a digital trail.
After analyzing the truck’s GPS data and cross-referencing it with cellphone records, Fennern was able to reconstruct the movements of both Amacher and his then girlfriend, Colleen Larson, on the day of the shooting.
The digital trail revealed that Larson had driven the black Dodge Ram truck to the FamilyWise center at the time of the shooting.
This discovery directly contradicted Larson’s initial statement to police, in which she claimed to have been at home in St. Paul during the incident.
Armed with this information, investigators obtained a search warrant for Amacher and Larson’s shared residence in St. Paul.
During the raid, they found multiple firearms and several .380 discharged cartridge cases.
The Hennepin County Crime Lab later confirmed that these casings matched the ones recovered from the crime scene, linking Larson directly to the shooting.
On April 28, 2022, Colleen Larson was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree premeditated murder.
During her interrogation, she initially denied any involvement but eventually broke down and confessed.
She admitted to driving the black Dodge Ram truck to the FamilyWise center, disguising herself in all black, and shooting Lenway.
Larson claimed that Amacher had orchestrated the attack and disposed of the gun afterward, further implicating him in the crime.
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| Tim Amacher |
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| Colleen Larson |
Justice for Nicole Lenway
On November 3, 2022, Tim Amacher’s trial began.
Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, he maintained his claims of innocence, calling the trial a “smear campaign.”
After just an hour of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of attempted first-degree premeditated murder and aiding an offender.
He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
On the otherhand, Larson pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting attempted first-degree murder.
On March 27, 2023, she was sentenced to 16.5 years in prison.
In a statement read by her defense attorney, Larson took full responsibility for her actions, though prosecutors believe she was acting under Amacher’s influence.
Despite the trauma, Nicole Lenway’s story is one of resilience.
She has since married Donovan Ford, a police officer, and the couple live happily now.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Lenway told 48 Hours, “I just knew it had something to do with Tim. I didn’t know how he was involved, but he was involved.”
Her son, who witnessed the aftermath of the shooting, has shown remarkable strength.
“He’s come out amazing,” Donovan said.
“That’s a miracle too, just him being able to deal with all the stuff he’s been through and still be the kid he is.”
Got a tip about a crime? Please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS immediately.
You can also see how to report a crime anonymously online if you wish to remain anonymous.
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