Suspect In Fatal Woodbury Grad Party Shooting Arrested Thursday

WOODBURY, MN — A Saint Paul man was arrested Thursday night in connection with the June 5 fatal shooting of a teen who was attending a graduation party in Woodbury, according to police.

Enrique Davila, 24, was taken into custody in the 500 block of Brainerd Avenue in Saint Paul, Woodbury police announced Thursday. He was booked into Washington County Jail on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and four counts of aiding and abetting an assault, police said.

Fourteen-year-old Demaris Hobbs-Ekdahl, of Maplewood, was shot around 10:45 p.m. June 5 as he was leaving a graduation party in the 6100 block of Edgewood Avenue in Woodbury, police have said. He died after being taken to Regions Hospital.

A second suspect in Demaris’ killing, Jaden Townsend, 19, of Saint Paul, was also charged with second-degree murder and four counts of aiding and abetting assault. Townsend turned himself in to police in June.

A 17-year-old from Oakdale is also facing charges related to Demaris’ slaying, KSTP reports.

A witness told Woodbury police that Davila and Townsend approached Demaris and a group as they were leaving a graduation party June 5. The witness reported Davila pulled a gun out of his waistband and threatened the group, police said.

Demaris then called his stepfather, Keith Dawson, and met him at a nearby car dealership before the two drove back to the graduation party in separate cars, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reports.

Dawson is accused of shooting from his SUV toward Davila and Townsend, who returned fire, hitting Demaris in the back as he drove behind Dawson, according to police. Dawson, of Saint Paul, was charged several days after Demaris’ death with drive-by shooting, illegal possession of a firearm and assault.

Woodbury police said they hope Davila’s arrest “brings some small comfort to those affected” by Demaris’ “tragic death.” Demaris had recently completed ninth grade at Tartan Senior High School in Oakdale when he was killed, KARE 11 reports.