Enrique Davila sentenced to 20 years in prison for 2021 graduation party that killed teenager

STILLWATER, Minn. — A man who was involved in a shootout that killed a 14-year-old boy at a Woodbury graduation party in the summer of 2021 was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison.

Enrique Davila, 26, pleaded guilty to aiding and committing second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in February. He will receive credit for the 946 days he has already served.

Davila was part of a group that confronted 14-year-old Demaris Ekdahlhis brother Davion and their friends at a graduation party on the 6100 block of Edgewood Road on June 5, 2021. Charges said that the brothers and friends left the party and called their stepfather, Keith Dawson, who encouraged them to return and confront Davila’s group.

When they returned, Dawson fired several shots from his SUV. Davila’s group fired roughly 40 gunshots in return, hitting Ekdahl, who was in a car behind Dawson’s SUV. Ekdahl was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Dawson was sentenced to seven years in prison. Xavier Hudson and Jaden Townsend — who were both part of the group that confronted Ekdahl — also received prison sentences.

“The shootout at a graduation party that resulted in the murder of 14-year-old Demaris shocked and saddened our community,” said Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson. “Today’s sentencing marks the end of a three-year process to achieve justice for Demaris.”