16-year-old charged with killing another teen in St. Paul

A 16-year-old boy was charged Friday in Ramsey County juvenile court with fatally shooting another teenager early this week in a St. Paul alley.

J'Veon J. Brown of St. Paul was charged with second-degree intentional and unintentional murder in the death of Antwan C. Watson on Monday in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood.

Brown has been in custody since his arrest Tuesday near the intersection of 5th and Minnesota streets. The County Attorney's Office has asked the court to have Brown tried as an adult, which would mean a more severe sentence should he be convicted.

Brown appeared in court for a 30-minute virtual hearing attended by his parents and defense attorney Bobby Joe Champion.

District Judge Sophia Vuelo ordered that Brown remain in custody until his next hearing Nov. 8, when the question of his case being moved to adult court will be considered.

According to the charges:

Police found Watson suffering gunshot wounds to the chest about 12: 30 p.m. in an alley in the 1000 block of E. York Avenue. St. Paul paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Two 911 callers had reported gunfire in the area about noon, and one of them had seen Watson on the ground in the alley.

People at the scene told police that Brown was the shooter.

Video surveillance from St. Paul Johnson High School, where Brown is a student, appeared to show him "him re-enacting the shooting, holding both arms out in a shooting stance. ... The video also appears to show [Brown] mimicking chambering a round into a handgun after these acts."

Later Monday night, a teenager who was possibly involved in the incident told police he was walking with his friends Watson and Brown, and witnessed the shooting. He said the trio were in the alley "to find a car."

The teen did not know why Brown shot Watson. He said Brown later sent him a message over social media that read, "that's what y'all get."

Police seized a 9-millimeter handgun from Brown during his arrest, the same caliber as the shell casings and live ammunition found near Watson's body.

Brown initially told police he was at school at the time of the shooting but had heard about it. After watching video that showed him running from the alley, he said Watson was shot by the third teenager who was with them. But he eventually admitted he shot Watson, according to the charges.

Brown said he wasn't really friends with the other two teens and had heard they were trying to rob him.