Teen Pleads Guilty in Fatal Saint Paul Tobacco Shop Shooting

Mar 17

A 17-year-old has pleaded guilty to murder in connection with a fatal shooting outside a Saint Paul tobacco shop in Sept. 2024.

Knyaw Taw admitted in court on March 12, 2025, that he intentionally shot and killed 22-year-old Davion Brown outside Maryland Tobacco on the 1300 block of Maryland Avenue East, court documents say.

According to the criminal complaint, Saint Paul police responded to the shooting on Sept. 10, 2024, just after 12:27 p.m. Officers arrived to find Brown suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead after being transported to Regions Hospital.

Surveillance footage captured a masked suspect wearing a maroon Nike shirt and blue jeans arriving at the scene on a bicycle. The suspect was seen stopping near a red Ford Expedition in the parking lot and appearing to exchange words with someone inside before walking up to Brown and shooting him multiple times at close range. The suspect then fled on his bicycle, the documents said.

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Immediately after the shooting, officers canvassed the area and were alerted by a resident that a person matching the suspect’s description was walking south on Germain Street. Ramsey County deputies found the person—later identified as Taw—who immediately attempted to flee on foot while clutching an object in his waistband. Officers chased him through several yards before apprehending him in the backyard of a residence on Clear Avenue. Nearby, officers recovered a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun along Taw’s path, which was later confirmed to be the firearm used in Brown’s killing.

Witnesses at the shooting scene provided additional details about the moments leading up to the gunfire. One witness told police he was standing outside the tobacco shop when the shots were fired and fled into a friend’s vehicle. Another witness said he and the victim had been arguing about a woman just before the shooting. While the initial witness said the shooter looked familiar, he initially denied knowing him.

Authorities determined that Taw had given false identification during his arrest, but fingerprint analysis confirmed his identity. Court records show he had multiple prior arrests in Ramsey County and had an outstanding warrant at the time of the shooting.

An autopsy revealed Brown suffered multiple gunshot wounds and his cause of death was ruled a homicide due to blood loss.

Taw was originally charged as a juvenile but was certified to stand trial as an adult on March 12, 2025, before entering his guilty plea later that day. During his plea hearing, Taw admitted to intentionally firing the fatal shots. As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors will ask for a sentence of 283 months—or just over 23.5 years—in prison.

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