From criminal to college graduate: here's how a Minnesota man changed his life
Here's how a Minnesota man went from career criminal, to college graduate
Here's how a Minnesota man went from career criminal, to college graduate
Here's how a Minnesota man went from career criminal, to college graduate
Rolando Ruiz is celebrating the most important day of his life, so far.
"I feel like I got another chance at life because this isn't the end, it's the beginning," said Ruiz.
A new beginning for a man who entered the world behind bars.
Ruiz was born at Shakopee Women's prison.
As a teen, his lifestyle of drugs and crimes led him to juvenile detention and, eventually, prison.
It wasn't until a judge in Scott County referred him to the Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge that he was able to make a real change.
"I was just getting out of Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, just started my life over and was facing 130 months in prison because of my extensive criminal history," said Ruiz.
But this time, he had a mentor and father figure in former police officer, lawyer and current appeals court judge Kevin Ross.
"I saw in him already a passion to turn his life around," said Ross.
That passion led to the chance of a lifetime.
In 2021, Ruiz became the first recipient of the George Floyd Scholarship at North Central University.
"Got into North Central, it was the beginning of a journey. To be honest, I didn't think that I was going to make it," said Ruiz. "I didn't think that I was built for it but God had different plans. It turns out, I wasn't built for it, but he built me up to be made for it."
Ruiz took his story on the road, speaking to youth groups, organizations, anyone who would listen.
"I find power in people finding the message in my story," he said.
He has now changed the trajectory of the lives of hundreds of young people, something he says is a path that was chosen for him.
"I'm feeling thankful, grateful, excited, but also feel a sense of accountability and responsibility because I know all the hard work that went into it. There are people who are watching me, and I can't fail," Ruiz said.
With family and close friends in attendance, Ruiz accomplished what he set out to do.
He hopes his life story is a lesson for anyone who is struggling.
"You can't get help around the same environment that hurt you. Step outside your environment, ask questions, reach out to people you will find out just how much help there is," said Ruiz.
Ruiz is a new homeowner and works as a consultant for an athletic performance brand.
He hopes to continue working with young people to better their lives.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
15 hours ago
- Washington Post
At least 100 people killed by gunmen in north-central Nigeria, rights group says
ABUJA, Nigeria — At least 100 people have been killed in a gun attack on a village in Nigeria's north-central Benue state, Amnesty International Nigeria said Saturday. The attack took place between late Friday and the early hours of Saturday in Yelewata, a community in the Guma area of the state, the rights group said in a Facebook post. Dozens of people are still missing, and hundreds were injured and without adequate medical care, it added. 'Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms. So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition,' Amnesty said. Udeme Edet, a spokesperson of the police in Benue, confirmed that an attack took place in Yelewata, but did not specify how many people were killed. While it remains unclear who was responsible for the killings, such attacks are common in Nigeria's northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence. Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 20 people in the Gwer West area of Benue. In April, at least 40 people were killed in the neighbouring state of Plateau.
Associated Press
15 hours ago
- Associated Press
At least 100 people killed by gunmen in north-central Nigeria, rights group says
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 100 people have been killed in a gun attack on a village in Nigeria's north-central Benue state, Amnesty International Nigeria said Saturday. The attack took place between late Friday and the early hours of Saturday in Yelewata, a community in the Guma area of the state, the rights group said in a Facebook post. Dozens of people are still missing, and hundreds were injured and without adequate medical care, it added. 'Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms. So many bodies were burnt beyond recognition,' Amnesty said. Udeme Edet, a spokesperson of the police in Benue, confirmed that an attack took place in Yelewata, but did not specify how many people were killed. While it remains unclear who was responsible for the killings, such attacks are common in Nigeria's northern region where local herders and farmers often clash over limited access to land and water. The farmers accuse the herders, mostly of Fulani origin, of grazing their livestock on their farms and destroying their produce. The herders insist that the lands are grazing routes that were first backed by law in 1965, five years after the country gained its independence. Last month, gunmen, believed to be herders, killed at least 20 people in the Gwer West area of Benue. In April, at least 40 people were killed in the neighbouring state of Plateau.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Las Vegas police ask public for footage of Strip shooting
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Several days after a man allegedly shot and killed a husband and wife in front of the Bellagio Fountains on the Las Vegas Strip as part of an online feud, police are asking anyone with video of the incident to come forward. Police are specifically asking for anyone with video of before and after the shooting, either from cell phones, tablets, vehicle dashcams, or business security systems in the area, according to a release. Anyone with video or information on this incident is urged to contact the LVMPD Homicide Section by phone at 702-828-3521, or by email at homicide@ To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385-5555, or on the Crime Stoppers website. The shooting was reported around 10:40 p.m. Sunday, when two Metro officers on routine patrol heard gunfire and ran toward the area where they discovered two people with gunshot wounds on the sidewalk, according to LVMPD Undersheriff Andrew Walsh. The suspect, Manuel Ruiz, 41, walked into a Henderson police station Monday morning and turned himself in. He is facing two counts of murder with the use of a deadly weapon, Las Vegas Metropolitan police said. Ruiz said he shot both in self-defense because he thought they were going to shoot him, according to an arrest report. Police said the victims, identified by the Clark County coroner as Rodney Finley, 44, and Tanisha Finley, 43, were not armed. Both suffered gunshot wounds to the head, the report said. 'I think it's probably garbage,' Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said of Ruiz's self-defense claim. He added that no weapons were found on or near the victims and 'the motivation is pretty clear.' The photo below shows the suspect and his clothing the night of the murder shortly before the shooting. The arrest report said Ruiz left the shooting scene, ditching his shirt, hat, and the gun before taking a rideshare only as far as New York, New York, because he didn't have money to pay. He then walked to a friend's house, who told him to turn himself in. After being taken into custody, Ruiz said he was approached by Finley's wife who was 'dancing in his face.' He said he saw Finley reach for his waistband and ask, 'What up cuz?' aggressively, and believed he was reaching for a firearm, so he shot in self-defense, documents said. He told police he fired toward Finley's torso, but when Finley continued to move, he aimed higher. He also admitted to shooting Finley's wife when he saw a 'shiny black object' he believed to be a gun, according to the report. Rodney, who also went by the online name Finny Da Legend, and Ruiz, known as streamer Sin City Manny, had argued online for several months over, among other things, copyright infringement. The two trolled each other, disagreed, and had lengthy conversations over the course of hours on a myriad of streams and sometimes different social media handles. A fellow YouTube content creator told police the feud started in 2023, the report said. On Thursday, Wolfson said prosecutors will consider seeking the death penalty for Ruiz. 'This is a case involving the death of two innocent people, and whenever we have a situation where two people are killed, needlessly, senselessly, it's always an option,' Wolfson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
