A late-night dice game on Hennepin Avenue that erupted in gunfire last summer has now ended in a guilty plea. Tyrone De Shun Childs Jr., 21, admitted in court Wednesday to second-degree murder and second-degree assault in the downtown Minneapolis shooting that killed 35-year-old Jermaine Jabaar Typray Barker and wounded another man.
The plea resolves a case tied to an Aug. 27 incident in which investigators say Childs walked up to a group shooting dice on Hennepin Avenue and opened fire, killing Barker at the scene and injuring a 22-year-old man. Prosecutors are asking for an aggravated 40-year prison sentence, and Childs is scheduled to learn his fate on April 21. As part of the deal, one count of first-degree aggravated robbery is expected to be dismissed.
Childs entered the guilty pleas Wednesday as part of a negotiated agreement, according to KSTP. Prosecutors plan to seek the 40-year term on the grounds that Childs opened fire amid a crowd, a factor they say heightened the risk to bystanders, as described in a December court filing. Childs remains in the Hennepin County Jail while he awaits sentencing in April.
Night-of Shooting And The Victim
The violence broke out in the early hours of Aug. 27 near Eighth Street North and Hennepin Avenue South, when witnesses say a man approached the dice game and began shooting, according to the Star Tribune. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled Barker’s death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds at that intersection.
Witness accounts and surveillance footage described in court filings say the gunman demanded property from the group. One bystander recalled hearing, "gimme that," and Barker responding, "you’re gonna have to shoot me," before shots were fired. Filings state Barker was struck 13 times. A 22-year-old man was also hit in the gunfire but survived.
What Prosecutors Are Asking For
Prosecutors argue that opening fire at a dice game on a busy downtown stretch created a particularly dangerous situation for everyone nearby and are urging the judge to hand down an aggravated 40-year sentence, according to KSTP. The plea deal takes a jury trial off the table, leaving the length of Childs’ punishment squarely in the judge’s hands at sentencing. Defense attorneys for Childs did not provide comment to outlets covering the case.
Next Steps And Downtown Context
The case now heads to an April 21 sentencing hearing in Hennepin County District Court, where the judge will decide whether to grant the aggravated term prosecutors want or impose a shorter prison sentence. Local coverage has noted that the Aug. 27 killing was one of several violent incidents reported in Minneapolis that weekend, a burst of crime that amplified concerns about downtown safety and late-night crowds, as earlier reporting from Bring Me The News pointed out.
Family statements or public comments from Barker’s relatives were not included in the initial reporting. With Childs’ guilty plea now on the record, the final chapter of the case will play out at sentencing, while downtown residents and visitors continue to weigh what this killing says about safety on Minneapolis streets after dark.
