2 Charged In Connection With Fatal Woodbury Grad Party Shooting

WOODBURY, MN — Two men and one juvenile have been charged in connection with the fatal shooting of 14-year-old Demaris Ekdahl at a graduation party in Woodbury, according to criminal complaints from Minnesota's 10th Judicial District Court.

Jaden L. Townsend, 19, and Enrique L. Davila, 23, of St. Paul were both charged with one count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder, and four counts of aiding and abetting assault.

Both men were charged by warrant and their whereabouts are "unknown."

There is also a juvenile defendant mentioned in the charging documents whose whereabouts are also unknown.

According to officials, one of the people who was at the graduation party with Ekdahl (identified in the criminal complaint as Victim 2) told police that as the group got to the car to leave the party, they were approached by Townsend and a man who was later identified as Davila. He told police that Davila pulled a gun out of his waistband and poked him in the ribs with it, before slapping him across the face and telling him not to try anything, officials said.

He also told police that Townsend didn't appear to have a gun but the juvenile was also standing nearby with a gun in his pocket, officials said.

The group then met with Ekdahl's stepfather Keith Dawson near the location of the graduation party.

Dawson has also been charged in connection with the shooting.

Related: Teen's Stepfather Fired At SUV Before Fatal Woodbury Shooting: PD

Police allege that Dawson started the crossfire that eventually killed his stepson.

Dawson told police that he shot at a group in a black SUV who were "messing with his kids," police said. The group shot back, hitting Ekdahl who was in a separate vehicle behind Dawson, according to police.

The person who identified Townsend and Davila to police also said he believed that Townsend was driving the black SUV, officials said.

A second person who was in the car with Ekdahl told police she witnessed Davila pull a gun on the first person from the car and also said that Townsend was driving the black SUV with Davila in the passenger seat, officials said.

Police went to the juvenile defendant's home and were told that he and Townsend weren't there, officials said. Police then searched the garage and found two handguns and a small compact rifle in a duffle bag, officials said.

Forensics tests on the guns is pending, officials said.