Fatal gas station shooting; Lee pleads guilty, Haywood to make first appearance

On July 29, Jomoy Lee, 18, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty to intentional second-degree murder and felon in possession for fatally shooting a 17-year-old male at a gas station in mid-September 2020, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Lee waived certification on October 28, 2020 on two cases — 27-CR-20-23115 and 27-CR-20-23120 — and made his first court appearance as an adult on October 30, 2020. He is scheduled for sentencing on August 30 at 10:30 a.m. where he is expected to receive 300 months in prison.

The second shooter involved in the incident, 18-year-old Kejuan Haywood of Minneapolis, was certified to stand trial as an adult on July 29. Haywood faces intentional second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder charges.

He is scheduled to make his first appearance August 2 at 1:30 p.m.

According to the criminal complaints, on September 14, 2020, Minneapolis police responded to reports of shots fired at a gas station located on Fremont Avenue North and Dowling Avenue North. Upon arrival, officers found that two victims, a 17-year-old male and a 19-year-old male, had been shot.

The 17-year-old victim was shot three times, while the 19-year-old victim was shot on the right side of his torso. Both victims were taken to the hospital, where the 17-year-old died, the complaints states.

Traffic video captured Lee and Haywood arriving behind the gas station in a red sedan. They approached a group of people outside the gas station, and Lee shoots first. Haywood then fired shots, while one victim was on already on the ground.

After the shooting, Lee and Haywood are seen in surveillance video fleeing the scene in the vehicle they arrived in. Investigators were able to identify the car through a license plate reader, and were able track its movements using traffic cameras and other electronic evidence, the complaint continues.

On September 17, 2020, Minneapolis police were conducting electronic surveillance and followed Lee who was a suspect in the shooting. Officers were following Lee, the sole driver, in a Chevy Impala near the area of 7th Street and Lyndale Avenue North.

Two marked police cars attempted to stop Lee at the intersection of 7th Street and Lyndale Avenue North, but he fled and started driving through the North Loop in downtown Minneapolis, the complaints state.

During the car chase, Lee began throwing items out of the window: a cellphone and a gun, both recovered by police. Ballistics testing showed that the gun that Lee threw out of the car was used in the September 14 murder, the complaints continue.

When interviewed by investigators, Lee identified Haywood as one of the shooters, while also admitting he was involved.

View the criminal complaint against Lee (PDF).

View the second criminal complaint against Lee (PDF).

View the criminal complaint against Haywood (PDF).