In the early moments of December 4, 2023, the life of 34-year-old Darius Renee Wilson, a Black/African American male from Burnsville, Minnesota, was tragically cut short. Just after midnight, at approximately 12:05 a.m., gunfire erupted near the intersection of East Lake Street and 12th Avenue South in Minneapolis. When police arrived at the scene, they found Wilson on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A woman in her 40s was also struck by a bullet in the leg but sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Investigators pieced together the events of that fatal morning using surveillance footage from the area. The video showed two gunmen in a nearby alley who appeared to have initiated an exchange of gunfire with Wilson, who returned fire. The investigation quickly moved forward thanks to key evidence left at the scene, including a glove that contained DNA. This, along with discharged cartridge casings, pointed law enforcement to two suspects. The evidence suggested that the two men were involved in selling drugs in the area.
The investigation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of 50-year-old Deon Antrell McGraw of Columbia Heights and 19-year-old Charles Danny Dobbins of Eagan. Both men were charged with second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder for their roles in the deadly shootout. In July 2024, Deon Antrell McGraw was convicted and sentenced to over 35 years in prison for aiding and abetting second-degree murder and first-degree assault. In September 2024, Charles Danny Dobbins entered a guilty plea to second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder, with his sentencing scheduled for November.
