Charges: Late-night Uptown bar brawl preceded fatal shooting on the street

Authorities have charged a 24-year-old man with a fatal shooting in Uptown nearly two months ago that allegedly started with a dispute in a bar.

Leontawan L. Holt, of Fridley, was charged Thursday in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree intentional murder and illegal weapons possession in connection with the death of Rayshawn E.J. Brown, 30, of St. Paul, on April 23 near S. Hennepin and Lagoon avenues.

Holt remained jailed in lieu of $750,000 bail ahead of a court appearance Friday. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

According to the criminal complaint:

In response to shots being fired shortly before midnight, police arrived and saw Brown on the ground while a "Good Samaritan nurse was applying pressure" to Brown's chest near the entrance to a parking ramp near Hennepin and Girard avenues. Officers took over, but paramedics soon declared Brown dead at the scene.

Holt had a 9-millimeter handgun when Brown died. An autopsy turned up a .40-caliber bullet from his body. Officers at the scene recovered spent cartridge casings from 9-millimeter, .40-caliber and .45-caliber guns.

Video surveillance showed Holt and Brown among those who were inside nearby Williams Pub during a brawl earlier that night.

Brown left the bar at 11:51 p.m., and Holt followed less than two minutes later. The two passed each other on the street moments later, and that's when Holt shot Brown.

Holt got in a vehicle and fled the area, while Brown ran for a short distance before collapsing.

Holt was arrested by Hopkins police and jailed two weeks ago in connection with him violating parole by possessing a gun.

His criminal history in Minnesota includes convictions for first-degree robbery and weapons possession.