WOODBURY, Minn. — A 20-year-old man has been found guilty of numerous felony charges related to a fatal graduation party shooting back in 2021.
A Washington County jury found Xavier Hudson guilty of 10 charges, including aiding and abetting murder in the second degree, for his role in the killing of 14-year-old Demaris Ekdahl.
According to a release from the county attorney's office, Hudson was among a group of people who confronted Ekdahl, his brother and others at the graduation party on June 5.
After leaving their first encounter at the Woodbury gathering, prosecutors said Ekdahl called his stepfather, Keith Dawson, who would meet up with his stepsons in Maplewood, encouraging them to return to the party to confront the group, which included Hudson.
Dawson drove his SUV, with his stepsons following in a separate car, to the party and started shooting before driving away.
The other vehicle, which was occupied by Ekdahl and multiple others, continued to follow Dawson's SUV, but was hit by return fire from Hudson's group.
One of the 40 bullets shot by Hudson's group passed through the back of the car and struck Ekdahl, who was later pronounced dead at Regions Hospital.
Dawson was sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence back in January.
“While no outcome can ever fully heal the wounds of such a heartbreaking incident, today's verdict brings some measure of justice to the grieving family of Demaris,” said Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson, in a statement.
A sentencing date for Hudson has yet to be determined.
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