On a Friday night in Minneapolis, what was meant to be the start of a night out with friends ended in tragedy for a 24-year-old Black / African American man. Kamani Kristopher Salaam Davis was at a house on the 3600 block of Aldrich Avenue North with a group of friends on March 17, 2017, when he was shot. The shooting occurred at approximately 10:50 p.m.
Emergency services were called, and Davis was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to a gunshot wound to his abdomen and pelvis.
Initially, the Minneapolis police investigated the death as suspicious, and several people who were at the house at the time of the shooting were taken in for questioning. The investigation later revealed that the shooting was accidental. In September 2017, prosecutors charged 24-year-old Jaleon Davis with second-degree manslaughter in connection with Kamani Davis's death. The two men were not related.
According to the criminal complaint, Jaleon Davis told detectives that the shooting was unintentional. He explained that he had a gun in his pocket and was sitting near Kamani Davis in the living room. As he reached into his pocket to get some money, he inadvertently pulled the trigger. He informed the police that he had removed the magazine from the firearm, which did not have a safety, but had forgotten that a bullet remained in the chamber. Jaleon Davis stated that he had recently purchased the gun and did not have a permit to carry it, though he had planned on applying for one. A warrant was issued for his arrest following the charges.
