John Broyles, a 17-year-old Black/African American male, was fatally shot on the night of March 5, 2016, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. A senior at Como Park Senior High School, he was just a week shy of his 18th birthday. Those who knew him described him as a peaceful and happy person who enjoyed making others laugh. The incident that led to his death unfolded near the intersection of University and Prior Avenues around 11 p.m.
On that night, Broyles and his cousin were on their way to a
party at a local motel when they encountered a man in an SUV. An exchange related to a feud between rival gangs, HAM Crazy and Gutter Block, escalated quickly. The man in the vehicle, later identified as 20-year-old Rayshon Brooks, an alleged member of the HAM Crazy gang, reportedly pointed a gun at Broyles and his cousin. As the two fled, Brooks pursued them on foot. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots. Broyles was struck by a bullet in the back that pierced several vital organs, and he was found on the sidewalk. A handgun was discovered underneath his body.
The investigation into the shooting led authorities to Rayshon Brooks, who was arrested without incident at a residence in Spring Lake Park four days after the incident. Brooks was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of a crime committed for the benefit of a gang. He claimed that he was acting in self-defense, stating that Broyles and his cousin were the aggressors and that he believed he was being set up to be killed.
In April 2016, Rayshon Brooks pleaded guilty to a crime committed for the benefit of a gang. As part of a plea agreement, charges of second-degree murder were dismissed. He was sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison for his role in the death of John Broyles.
