Man pleads guilty to murder in 2023 shooting at Edina strip mall

A Minneapolis man pleaded guilty on Friday to a fatal shooting in an Edina strip mall last winter, court records show.

Kayvon Julian Madison, 23, pleaded to one count of second-degree murder in the Dec. 2, 2023, shooting of 23-year-old Darien Jamal Roberson. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 23.

As previously reported, Madison reported he had shot someone at a strip mall on the 3500 block of 70th Avenue West and claimed the person “came at me,” a criminal complaint states. When officers arrived, they found Roberson lying on the ground with gunshot wounds to his face and chest; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses told police Madison and Roberson were both at a restaurant for a mutual friend’s birthday party. The two were acquaintances and had a falling out a couple of years back after Roberson’s friend died of an overdose, charging documents state.

After dinner, the group congregated in the parking lot to take some photos. At one point, a witness saw Madison approach Roberson and remark that his friend who overdosed might be alive if he “had made better life choices,” setting off an argument.

Video of the incident shows Madison raising his hand and jabbing a finger toward Roberson’s face. Roberson is seen slapping it away, at which point Madison pulls out a gun, shooting Roberson five times, according to the complaint.

Editor’s note: This article originally stated Madison had taken a plea deal with an anticipated sentence of 25½ years. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office now says there was no plea deal, and a contested sentencing hearing will be held instead.