In the late afternoon of November 9, 2019, a tragic series of events unfolded in north Minneapolis, culminating in the death of 32-year-old Dionte Marsa Hubbard, a Black male. The incident began with a vehicle pursuit. A Honda sedan was seen chasing a Chevy Impala, leading to a crash at the intersection of North 47th and Lyndale avenues. Following the collision, three individuals exited the Honda and pursued Hubbard.
The chase ended in an alley behind the 4600 block of Lyndale Avenue
North, where Hubbard was shot in the head. Minneapolis police officers responded to reports of the shooting just before 5 p.m. and found Hubbard gravely wounded. They administered life-saving aid until paramedics arrived and transported him to North Memorial Hospital. Despite their efforts, Hubbard succumbed to his injuries several hours later. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office officially ruled his death a homicide.
An investigation into the shooting led to the identification of suspects. Xavier D. Gilleylen, then 20 years old, was arrested and charged with the murder. Witness accounts and video surveillance played a crucial role in the case against him. One of his accomplices, Dayton C. Robinson, pleaded guilty to aiding an offender after the fact. As part of his plea agreement, which called for a five-year sentence, Robinson agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and testified during Gilleylen's trial.
In November 2021, a jury convicted Xavier D. Gilleylen of first-degree murder for the death of Dionte Marsa Hubbard. The conviction carried an automatic sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. While the trial brought a legal conclusion to the case, the motive for the fatal shooting was not publicly disclosed in the charges or during the court proceedings. Initially, another person was taken into custody in connection with the case but was later released, and no further arrests were made.
