MINNEAPOLIS, MN β A 19-year-old Minneapolis man has admitted guilt in Hennepin County District Court for a fatal late-night shooting during a sidewalk dice game. Jakeese Xzavior Williams entered a guilty plea on July 7, 2026, to felony Second-Degree Unintentional Murder While Committing a Felony, concluding a case that prosecutors say escalated from a neighborhood dispute.
As part of a negotiated plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the initial intentional murder charge. In exchange, Williams agreed to an upward sentencing departure of 220 months (18 years and 4 months) in prison and waived his right to a jury trial regarding the aggravating factors. His sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2026.
Fatal Shooting Near Franklin and Chicago Avenues
The incident occurred shortly before midnight on September 20, 2025, near the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Chicago Avenue South. Responding officers learned that a man had been shot once in the chest during a dice game on the sidewalk.
A friend rushed the victim to the Hennepin County Medical Center before emergency responders arrived. However, the victim succumbed to a single gunshot wound that penetrated his heart.
Surveillance Footage and Forensic Evidence
Investigators utilized surveillance footage from nearby businesses, including a convenience store Williams had visited three times that evening. The footage captured Williams approaching the victim, striking him in the head, and firing a single shot into his chest after being pushed away. Williams, an alleged associate of the Body Soul Gang (BSG), fled the state after the shooting, prompting a nationwide warrant.
Crime scene investigators recovered a discharged shell casing and several Pepsi cans. Forensic testing successfully matched Williams’ fingerprint to one of the discarded cans, placing him at the scene. Furthermore, multiple Minneapolis police officers independently identified Williams from the surveillance images.
Defense Challenges Eyewitness Identification
Before the plea agreement, the defense sought to suppress key eyewitness testimony, arguing that investigators used suggestive identification procedures. The witness had initially failed to identify Williams from a booking photo but later identified him with total certainty from surveillance stills.
On June 24, 2026, Judge Lisa Janzen denied the defense’s motion, ruling the identification evidence admissible for trial.
Aggravating Factors and Sentencing
Following the ruling, Williams opted to plead guilty. Prosecutors sought an upward sentencing departure because the shooting took place on a crowded public sidewalk, creating a severe danger to numerous bystanders and active vehicular traffic. By accepting the plea, Williams conceded to these aggravating factors.
Williams remains held without bail at the Hennepin County Jail pending his formal sentencing on July 24, 2026.