Bobby Davion Collins, an 18-year-old from Saint Paul, MN, was tragically killed on April 17, 2016, at Indian Mounds Regional Park. Collins had recently completed high school in a juvenile facility and was looking forward to starting college. On the evening of his death, he chose to attend a barbecue at Mounds Park instead of another event in Maplewood.
The situation escalated when Collins and four other men, all with suspected gang ties, confronted a member of the Forever After Money gang.
The confrontation quickly turned violent. According to witnesses, the altercation began over accusations of stealing a gang name. A woman involved in the incident stated that her boyfriend, who was accused of the theft, was willing to fight the others one-on-one. She attempted to intervene by using mace, and a physical fight ensued, involving a tree branch. The situation escalated further when guns were drawn, and shots were fired.
Prince Kavanaugh Romel Williams, 24, and Rashawn Donnell Porter, 18, were identified as key suspects in the incident. Williams was charged with first-degree riot while armed resulting in death, and Porter was charged with third-degree riot. Both suspects face additional penalties for committing crimes for the benefit of a gang. Witnesses and video evidence reviewed by the St. Paul police gang unit confirmed the involvement of Collins, Williams, Porter, and two others in the confrontation.
The chaotic scene at the park, which was crowded with hundreds of people, ended with Collins suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing, and further charges against other individuals involved in the incident are possible.
