Antwan Calvin Watson : St. Paul Teen Pleads Guilty to Fatal Shooting in Alley

A St. Paul teenager has admitted in court to the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old in an East Side alley in 2022, and will receive a 10½-year prison sentence as part of a plea deal he reached with Ramsey County prosecutors last week.

The Tragic Incident

J’veon Jamauri Brown, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident, shot Antwan Calvin Watson four times before returning to Johnson High School, where he was caught on video reenacting the deadly encounter for other students, according to the charges brought against him.

Charges and Sentencing

Four days after the killing, Brown was charged with second-degree intentional murder-not premeditated and second-degree unintentional murder while committing a robbery. In August, he was certified to stand accused in adult court. Brown, who has since turned 18, pleaded guilty on Friday to the unintentional murder charge. In addition to the 128-month prison sentence, the plea deal includes the dismissal of two pending juvenile felony theft cases. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 12.

The Crime Scene

Authorities responded to an alley in the 1000 block of York Avenue at 12:25 p.m. on October 10, 2022, following a report of an individual on the ground not breathing and showing signs of trauma. Watson was discovered with four gunshot wounds, including two to the chest. Tragically, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Police found spent 9-mm casings and live 9-mm ammunition near his body.

Witness Testimony

A resident in the area informed officers that he had witnessed three males walking in the alley behind York Avenue before hearing gunshots approximately two minutes later. He observed one of them fleeing the scene. During the investigation, two individuals identified “JB,” later confirmed to be Brown, as the shooter. They revealed that he was a student at Johnson High School.

School Surveillance Footage

Footage from the school’s surveillance system depicted Brown engaging with several students and mimicking the shooting incident, including gestures such as “holding both arms out in a shooting stance” and “mimicking chambering a round into a handgun.”

Eye Witness Account

A 15-year-old witness reported walking with Watson and Brown in the alley when he heard Watson call out. As he turned around, he witnessed Brown pointing a gun at Watson and firing. The witness fled the scene. He mentioned that he was unaware of the reason behind the shooting. Subsequently, Brown messaged him on social media stating, “that’s what y’all get.”

Arrest and Admission

Brown was apprehended the following morning in downtown St. Paul, near Fifth and Minnesota streets. Upon his arrest, police discovered a loaded 9-mm Glock handgun tucked in his front waistband. During questioning, Brown initially denied involvement in the shooting, providing conflicting accounts. However, upon being confronted with video evidence, he confessed to the crime.

Motivation for the Crime

In his statement to investigators, Brown alleged that he had heard rumours of Watson and the 15-year-old planning to rob him, prompting him to act first. He clarified that he had no prior relationship with the victims.