Dwayne Hawkins Jr., 29, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Minneapolis on April 26, 2018. Officers responded just after 5 a.m. to a ShotSpotter activation on the 1900 block of Newton Avenue North and found Hawkins with gunshot wounds to his head and neck. He was taken to North Memorial Medical Center, where he died.

Investigators say the shooting followed an earlier confrontation by Willie B. Brown Jr., 35, who had allegedly propositioned a woman at a home on the 2900 block of Sheridan Avenue North. Brown reportedly returned later to confront several men; Hawkins intervened to break up the argument and then left the scene with Brown. During the drive, Brown shot Hawkins multiple times, left his body on Newton Avenue, then returned to the Sheridan Avenue residence and fired shots at the house. Police located the vehicle the men had left in; its interior was covered in blood, and two handguns recovered from Brown matched ammunition from the scenes. Brown was charged with second-degree murder, drive-by shooting, and second-degree assault and was later found guilty by a jury.

If anyone knew Hawkins or saw activity in the Newton or Sheridan Avenue North area that morning, please come forward with information.