Revenge over a fatal shooting is the apparent motive for the killing of a 20-year-old man nearly two years ago in a West St. Paul park, according to charges.
Brenden J. Reynolds, 24, of Cottage Grove was charged Friday in Dakota County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the shooting death on June 9, 2021, of Jayvon A. Malone of Maplewood.
Reynolds was arrested Thursday night in a vehicle at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and remains jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail. Court records do not list an attorney for him. He's due back in court on April 6.
According to the complaint:
A report of shots fired shortly before 9 p.m. sent police to Thompson County Park, where they saw two people putting pressure on gunshot wounds to Malone's chest and back.
As medics took over tending to Malone he uttered that he was going to die. He soon died at a nearby hospital.
A witness told police that the gunfire occurred during a party to raise money for legal fees for someone in jail.
Surveillance video show Reynolds arriving at the park on motorcycle. He walked over to Malone and said, "You got my brother killed," the complaint quoted him as saying. A punch from Reynolds sent Malone to the ground.
