Javon Jarule Stevenson, an 18-year-old Black male, was fatally shot the evening of July 7, 2024, in the Whittier neighborhood of south Minneapolis. The shooting began after a verbal altercation near Nicollet Avenue and East 27th Street, about 7:50 p.m. Stevenson was later found with life-threatening gunshot wounds at a residence on the 2600 block of Third Avenue South and was taken to Hennepin Healthcare, where he was pronounced dead at 9:41 p.m. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by gunshot wounds.

Investigators say surveillance footage captured a white GMC Acadia approaching Stevenson and three others as they were exiting a car; the Acadia’s driver opened fire and at least two people with Stevenson returned fire. At least five firearms were discharged, and one bullet from the Acadia ricocheted off the ground and struck Stevenson. Police traced the Acadia to its owner and identified 21-year-old Amariaun Antonio Thomas Thornton of Oakdale as the driver. Cellphone location data placed Thornton near the scene.

Thornton was later arrested after officers responded to reports of a gunshot; he fled a house by breaking a window and was taken into custody. A 9 mm privately made ghost gun seized from the home was matched by ballistics testing to the fatal shot. Thornton faces multiple felony charges, including second-degree murder.

Does anyone have information about the events on Eat Street that evening or about the people involved?