Jaden Townsend, Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Demaris Ekdahl, Turns Himself In
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A suspect charged in connection to the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Demaris Ekdahl at a Woodbury graduation party earlier this month has turned himself in.
Jaden Townsend, 19, was charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and additional counts of aiding and abetting assault in the July 5 drive-by shooting. He has been booked into Washington County Jail.
Detectives are still searching for Enrique Davila, a 23-year-old who was also charged in the shooting.
On Tuesday, a juvenile was charged and arrested for his role in the shooting. Two women were arrested with him during a traffic stop on Interstate 94.
According to complaint documents, the shooting happened on the 6100 block of Edgewood Road, where Ekdahl and four others had gone to attend the party.
As they were leaving, Davila, Townsend, and a 17-year-old approached, and Davila allegedly pulled a gun on one of the people in the group and said "don't try anything." The person noted that the 17-year-old also had a gun.
The group then called Ekdahl's stepfather, Keith Dawson, who led them back to the party. The group followed in their own car. Dawson then allegedly drove past Davila, Townsend, and a 17-year-old and fired his gun.
A witness said Dawson fired roughly three to four rounds, while the trio shot back 15 to 20 rounds.
One of the bullets allegedly traveled through the back of the car Ekdahl was in, hitting him.
Dawson was charged two days after Ekdahl's death for drive-by shooting, illegal possession of a firearm, and two counts of assault. Though he was not the person who shot Ekdahl, investigators say he started the shooting.
People with information about Davila's whereabouts are asked to call Woodbury detectives at 651-714-3600 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
