In the afternoon of December 14, 2020, a tragic event unfolded on the 500 block of Jessamine Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, culminating in the death of 17-year-old Elijah Watson. A Black / African American male, Watson was discovered bleeding on the street after a resident called 911 to report a boy, who had been shot in the head, banging on her door for help before collapsing.
When officers arrived at the scene around 1:50 p.m., they found Watson with a gunshot wound to the face and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Watson's death quickly revealed a story of a dispute turned fatal among a group of teenagers. Investigators found photos on Watson's phone, taken just an hour before the shooting, showing him in a stolen vehicle with three other teenagers known to the police: a 17-year-old, a 16-year-old, and a 15-year-old. Interviews with the two younger boys revealed that the four were driving around when an argument erupted over a. 40 caliber handgun that Watson had.
According to the accounts provided by the other teenagers, Watson, who was driving, had given the gun to the 17-year-old suspect in the back seat. When the suspect refused to return the firearm, Watson turned around to retrieve it and was shot in the face. In a state of panic, the injured Watson exited the vehicle, while the other three drove away, leaving him behind. The stolen car was later found abandoned with blood on the door and window.
A 17-year-old male, Javeon Norbor-Mayon Kohene, was arrested on December 18, 2020, at a residence in South St. Paul in connection with the shooting. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and aggravated robbery. Prosecutors announced their intention to certify Kohene to be tried as an adult. Two hours after Watson's death, a photo reportedly appeared on Facebook showing Kohene holding the. 40 caliber gun that was later confirmed to be the murder weapon. While Kohene initially denied his involvement, he later claimed the shooting was accidental, a statement contradicted by the accounts of the other two teenagers in the car. One of the teens told investigators that Kohene "laughed about it and showed no remorse for the victim".
