Rayshawn Earl James Brown, a 30-year-old Black man from St. Paul, was shot and killed on the night of April 23, 2022, in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined he died from multiple gunshot wounds and ruled his death a homicide.
The events began just before midnight with a verbal altercation inside Williams Uptown Pub.
Surveillance footage showed a man named Leontawan Lentez Holt punch another patron, sparking a brawl involving numerous people, including a 17-year-old named Jaqwon James Smith. Mr. Brown, who was present when the fight started, left the bar during the chaos. Shortly after, Holt and Smith also exited. Outside, as Holt, Smith, and others walked west on the sidewalk, they passed Mr. Brown, who was walking east. As they passed, Mr. Brown appeared to reach for something in his pocket. Holt then extended his arm, held a gun, and fired. Smith also allegedly fired at least seven times. Mr. Brown ran a short distance before collapsing near a parking ramp entrance.
A good Samaritan who worked as a medical professional rushed to help, applying pressure to Mr. Brown's chest until police and paramedics arrived. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators found that Mr. Brown was in possession of a handgun and believed he may have fired once at the men who shot him. Forensic testing later determined he was struck by a bullet from the gun Holt had fired.
Police used surveillance footage from the area to track the suspects' movements. Holt, wearing a distinctive red varsity-style jacket, and Smith were seen fleeing in a black Dodge Charger. After a brief pursuit, officers lost the vehicle but later found it abandoned with the engine running. The car had been reported stolen by a relative of Holt's about an hour after the shooting. Inside, police recovered a gun and a live cartridge that matched the bullet that struck Mr. Brown.
Based on the evidence, Leontawan Lentez Holt was arrested and charged with murder. Jaqwon James Smith was also taken into custody and charged as an adult with crimes including second-degree murder, second-degree assault, and illegal gun possession.
The legal proceedings for both men have since concluded. The murder charges against Leontawan Lentez Holt were dismissed after he was convicted and sentenced in a separate federal racketeering case that carried the possibility of a life sentence. In Jaqwon James Smith’s case, the aiding and abetting murder charges were also dismissed. He was sentenced to four years in prison for second-degree assault and illegal weapon possession, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
