St. Louis Park teen charged with murder in fatal Uptown shooting last April

A 17-year-old from St. Louis Park will stand trial as an adult in connection with a fatal shooting in Uptown Minneapolis last April that began with a brawl inside since-closed Williams Pub.

Nearly a year after the deadly exchange of gunfire on April 23, 2022, Jaqwon James Smith was officially charged Monday as an adult in Hennepin County District Court following months of debate over whether his case should proceed in juvenile court, where charges initially were filed last December. He's the second person charged in the shooting that killed Rayshawn E.J. Brown, 30, of St. Paul.

Leontawan L. Holt, 25 of Fridley, was charged in June 2022 with second-degree murder.

Smith, who was 16 at the time of the shooting, remains in custody at the Juvenile Detention Center. His public defender did not immediately return calls seeking comment. Smith appears in court again Tuesday after a hearing Friday determined he should be certified as an adult, a process that involves taking into account the minor's culpability and criminal history. For Smith, that includes an attempted carjacking in December 2021. He pleaded guilty to attempted simple robbery and is still on juvenile probation for that offense.

In the latest case, Smith is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree riot resulting in death, second-degree assault and one felony count for violating his probation by being in possession of a firearm.

The decision to certify Smith as an adult comes at a critical moment for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office over its handling of youth offenders.

In recent weeks, the office's top prosecutor Mary Moriarty has defended her stance on using community programming and other rehabilitative interventions for teens charged with violent crimes rather than seeking punishment in the adult criminal justice system.

Moriarty's predecessor, Mike Freeman, sought a conviction in adult court for Smith — as he had with the teens allegedly involved in McKeever's death.

In this case, Moriarty had agreed to pursue stiffer penalties through the adult system, as she has done in several other serious cases.

An office spokesman told the Star Tribune that an adult prosecution is appropriate for Smith based on his age, history of violence and previous attempts at treatment and rehabilitation.

"Our goal is to protect community safety by assessing the unique circumstances of each case," wrote spokesman Nick Kimball.

"Families and our communities desperately need immediate support to intervene more effectively with young people long before they engage in this sort of conduct. Without adequate out-of-home placement options and funding for community-led safety strategies, we risk further harm to our communities."

Although Smith did not fire the fatal shot, Smith's use of a firearm aided and abetted "the carnage by firing not once, not twice, but seven times toward the victim …" according to the certification memo.

Smith has a history of getting into fights and once brought a knife to school, court records show. Prosecutors also allege that Smith has gang affiliations; He allegedly flashed gang signs in a music video posted to Youtube shortly before the homicide and later on juvenile jail security cameras. Smith denied any gang affiliation, but prosecutors say there is no evidence of him distancing himself from gang activity.

According to the charges:

Minneapolis police responded to shots being fired shortly before midnight. Officers found Brown on the ground near a parking ramp at Hennepin and Lagoon avenues where a good Samaritan nurse was applying pressure to Brown's chest. Paramedics declared Brown dead at the scene.

An autopsy removed a .40-caliber bullet from his body. Officers at the scene recovered spent cartridge casings from 9-millimeter, .40-caliber and .45-caliber guns.

Leading up to the shooting, Holt started the pub brawl by punching a patron in the face. Smith participated, but Brown left. Holt and Smith left after the fight broke up.

While they were on the sidewalk, Brown passed the group and appeared to try to pull an item from his pocket. Holt then fired a handgun at Brown, who ran down the sidewalk.

Smith also fired at Brown before Holt and Smith sped off in a black Dodge Charger.

Squads pursued the vehicle, but it got away. Officers eventually found the abandoned car, still running with the driver's door open, near Grand Avenue S. and 31st Street. Officers determined it was registered to Holt's relative and had been reported stolen.

A .45 handgun was found inside. Testing determined the .45 casings found at the scene were consistent with those fired from the recovered handgun.