Deadly MOA shooting: TaeShawn Adams-Wright, 18, Lavon Longstreet, 17, charged with murder
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Charges have now been filed against four people in a fatal shooting that prompted a lockdown at Mall of America last week.
On Thursday, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged 18-year-old TaeShawn Adams-Wright and 17-year-old Lavon Longstreet, both from Minneapolis, with second-degree murder in connection to the Friday shooting that left 19-year-old Johntae Hudson dead. He succumbed to his injuries after being shot inside the Nordstrom department store.
A nationwide arrest warrant is out for Longstreet, who is believed to be out of state. Authorities say others are in danger if he remains free. There is also a warrant out for Adams-Wright related to a weapons charge in St. Cloud from July.
Two other 17-year-old boys were also charged in juvenile court with second-degree riot, a felony. One is accused of blocking Hudson's escape, while the other grabbing him while he tried to flee. During a court hearing, we heard one is an honor student with a prior gun charge still going through the system. The other is a football player that intends to accept a college athletic scholarship.
The judge said the "public safety danger factor is extremely high," and they will stay in detention.
Gov. Tim Walz said after the shooting that the violence at the mall on Friday night was "absolutely unacceptable." He said he was in touch with local officials to provide support and resources.
This is the second lockdown Mall of America has gone on this year. Shots fired outside the Nike store prompted a lockdown in August. On New Year's Eve of 2021, the mall went into lockdown after two people were shot on the third level of the mall.
Criminal complaint details
According to the criminal complaint, witnesses reported seeing two men brandishing handguns with extended magazines while arguing with the victim. They then chased the victim, later identified as Hudson, and shot at him eight to 10 times. The shooters then allegedly fled the store.
Surveillance video from the mall and Nordtrom captured the shooting and the events leading up to it, the complaint said. The video shows the victim walking with two of his friends and attempting to get on an escalator to the second floor, but was blocked by a group. Shots were fired shortly after.
Court papers say Longstreet pointed a gun toward Hudson and a muzzle flash is seen. It goes on to say clothing displays blocked some camera views but did show Adams-Wright and Longstreet standing over him in a shooting stance.
"As the shooting was unfolding, a mother and her teenage daughter were shopping in the men's department. The video captured them falling to the ground and trying to take cover mere feet from where the shots were being fired," the complaint said.
The mother later noticed her black coat had a bullet hole in it, and her buttock was injured from an apparent bullet graze.
Hudson was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. The medical examiner later ruled his manner of death homicide due to multiple gunshot wounds. He was shot eight times, with three additional graze wounds.
Investigators say a .40 caliber firearm was found near the victim's body and was determined to be "associated with the victim." Two of the bullets were discharged near the victim's body, the complaint said.
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The day after the shooting, police announced five people were arrested in St. Louis Park in connection to the shooting. The individuals arrested included three 17-year-old boys and two 18-year-old men.
Investigators say they discovered social media video that captured one of the suspects confronting the victim's friend at the mall before the shooting, with the full group following the person and their mother out of the mall. The friend of the victim later returned and was near the escalator at the time of the shooting.
"The why here is the thing that we still don't understand because no one is cooperating with us," said Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges. "We believe that this is some type of longstanding feud."
Charges were initially expected by Tuesday, but two extensions were granted. Prosecutors had until noon Thursday to file charges, or release the suspects.
Adams-Wright will go before a judge Friday. Prosecutors told a judge Thursday afternoon they intend to charge another juvenile with murder and assault.
WCCO does not typically name juvenile suspects unless they are charged as adults.
