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Stepfather sentenced to 7 years after deadly grad party drive-by shooting

Keith Dawson said he fired warning shots in the air to scare a group of young men who pointed a gun at his son's head. They fired back, killing the boy.

STILLWATER, Minn — In Washington County on Friday, it was not your typical sentencing hearing.

The courtroom was packed with supporters of the defendant — a stepfather whose actions led to his 14-year-old getting killed at a Woodbury graduation party last year.

"This is not the typical drive-by shooting. This case is an anomaly," said Judge Francis Green.

Keith Dawson pleaded guilty to the drive-by shooting, but the crime was a unique and tragic scenario. His 14-year-old stepson, Demaris Hobbs-Ekdahl, called him crying because a group that had been bullying him, pointed a gun at him at a graduation party in Woodbury.

"When you receive a phone call as a parent of a 14-year-old child who just had a gun to his head, you don't do rational things," said defense attorney Travis Kowitz.

Dawson drove to that party, his sons following him, and says he fired warning shots in the air to scare that group of young men. They shot back, hitting and killing Demaris. 

"There was no active conflict at the time Mr. Dawson returned to that scene and opened fire," said prosecutor Cheri Townsend.

"I'm asking the court to show leniency to Mr. Dawson on a prison sentence. As the court knows, he has a life sentence of guilt," Kowitz said.

Judge Green said he can sympathize with a parent wanting to protect a child.

"But on the other hand, the use of a firearm to settle a dispute is ill-advised and dangerous," Judge Green said.

The Minnesota sentencing guidelines called for nearly nine years in prison. Dawson's attorney pleaded for Judge Green to go as low as five years, the mandatory minimum by law. Judge Green landed right in the middle, issuing a seven-year prison sentence.

Three people were charged in the return fire that hit and killed the boy: Enrique Davila, Xavier Hudson, and Jaden Townsend.

Townsend, whose lawyer said he was not the shooter, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second degree assault and received three years in prison.

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