North Minneapolis double homicide: Cousin killed two relatives hours after bail release; later shot by Brooklyn Center police
Twenty‑three‑year‑old Eddie Duncan was released from the Hennepin County Jail after posting $35,000 of a $70,000 bail on charges tied to a May police pursuit and a recovered firearm, and within roughly three hours is accused of fatally shooting two of his cousins — 14‑year‑old Xavier Barnett and 23‑year‑old Akwame Stewart — at a north Minneapolis home. Duncan later went to an IHOP in Brooklyn Center where an exchange of gunfire with officers left him dead; the Minnesota BCA identified Duncan and the three officers who fired, recovered a handgun and spent casings, and said body‑worn and squad‑car video and evidence will be submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review. Family members and community supporters are grieving and say Duncan may have believed the cousins were responsible for his arrest, though police say there is no proof of that motive.
📌 Key Facts
- Eddie Duncan, 23, allegedly shot and killed two of his cousins — 14-year-old Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old Akwame Stewart — inside a north Minneapolis home hours after being released from the Hennepin County Jail.
- Duncan had been arrested Feb. 15 and charged in a Robbinsdale case that involved a police pursuit, a crash and the recovery of a Glock with an auto sear and a 29‑round magazine; he faced fleeing and gun charges at a subsequent court appearance.
- The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office requested $70,000 bail (or $35,000 with conditions) citing a public‑safety risk; a judge set bail at that level and Duncan posted $35,000 with conditions and was released.
- Police and family members say they believe Duncan thought his cousins were responsible for his arrest, though Minneapolis police say there is no proof establishing that motive.
- After the north Minneapolis homicides, Duncan went to an IHOP in Brooklyn Center where an exchange of gunfire with police left him shot and killed; the Minnesota BCA formally identified him as the person killed in the Feb. 23 Brooklyn Center shooting.
- The BCA identified the three Brooklyn Center officers who fired as Officers Christian Lausen (4 years' experience), Francisco Martinez (3 years) and Wahid Gul (5 years); all are on standard critical‑incident leave. The BCA reported recovering a handgun and spent casings, said body‑worn and squad cameras captured portions of the encounter, and that it will submit use‑of‑force findings to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
- Family members, including De’Asia Freeman, described finding the two victims shot on the floor while young children hid in a closet; Freeman said she believes Xavier may have tried to intervene. The family is grieving, receiving support from outreach group A Mother’s Love, and has a GoFundMe for funeral and related expenses.
- Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office issued a public statement outlining the bail request, constitutional limits and the sequence that led to Duncan’s release and the alleged killings, while neighbors and a former coach expressed shock at the violence from someone they described as a previously happy kid.
📊 Relevant Data
In the Near North neighborhood of Minneapolis, the population is 49.8% Black (3,774 residents) and 24.2% White (1,833 residents), compared to the citywide composition of 18.9% Black and 58.1% White.
Near North Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN Demographics — Point2 Homes
The rate of any violent crime among Black Minneapolis residents is 27 times higher than among White residents.
Maligning Minneapolis — City Journal
In 2023, the homicide victimization rate for Black persons in the United States was 21.3 per 100,000, compared to 3.2 per 100,000 for White persons.
Homicide Victimization in the United States, 2023 — Bureau of Justice Statistics
People with a history of gun offense convictions are at more than twice the hazard of committing gun offenses upon reoffending compared to those without such history.
Recidivism among People Convicted of Gun Offenses: A Call to Better Leverage Reentry Resources to Decrease Gun Violence — ResearchGate
Nationally, from 2013 to 2021, police killed 97 Black people per 1 million Black people, compared to 35 White people per 1 million White people.
Mapping Police Violence — Mapping Police Violence
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Minnesota BCA has formally identified the man killed in the Feb. 23 Brooklyn Center shooting as 23-year-old Eddie Duncan of Minneapolis, the same cousin suspected in the north Minneapolis double homicide hours earlier.
- The three Brooklyn Center officers who fired on Duncan are named as Officer Christian Lausen (4 years’ experience), Officer Francisco Martinez (3 years) and Officer Wahid Gul (5 years); all are on standard critical-incident leave.
- BCA says body-worn and in-squad camera footage captured portions of the encounter, and a handgun and spent casings were recovered; the agency will submit its use-of-force findings to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review.
- Identifies the two homicide victims as 14-year-old Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old Akwame Stewart and confirms they were cousins of alleged shooter Eddie Duncan.
- Describes how their sister, De’Asia Freeman, discovered her niece and nephews hiding in a closet and found both brothers shot on the floor of their mother’s north Minneapolis home.
- Details the victims’ lives and roles in the family — Xavier as a good student who loved playing with his niece and nephews, and Akwame as a talented painter, cook and handyman — and notes Freeman has now lost three brothers to violence.
- Reports that outreach group A Mother’s Love is supporting the family again after they previously lost another loved one in 2023, and includes a GoFundMe link for funeral and related expenses.
- Conveys Freeman’s belief that Xavier may have tried to intervene during the shooting and her shock that cousin Eddie Duncan, just released from jail, would harm them.
- On-camera, detailed account from sister De’Asia Freeman describing discovering her 14-year-old brother Xavier Barnett and 23-year-old brother Akwame Stewart shot on the floor while her young niece and nephews hid in a closet.
- Freeman states this is the third brother she has lost to violence and describes ongoing trauma from an earlier shooting in which she and another brother were shot.
- The family shares personal details about the victims: Xavier was a good student who loved playing with her kids; Akwame was known for painting, cooking and fixing things around the house, and both had a strong bond with her children.
- Freeman says she believes 14-year-old Xavier tried to intervene during the incident and expresses disbelief that cousin Eddie Duncan, recently released from jail, would harm them.
- The piece notes the family is receiving support from outreach group A Mother’s Love and includes a GoFundMe link for funeral and related expenses.
- Suspect is 23-year-old Eddie Duncan, who allegedly shot and killed two of his cousins, ages 14 and 23, at a north Minneapolis home within roughly three hours of being released from the Hennepin County Jail.
- Duncan had been arrested and charged in connection with a May Robbinsdale case involving a police pursuit, a crash, and recovery of a Glock with an auto sear and a 29‑round magazine; he was formally charged and arrested on Feb. 15.
- At Monday’s court appearance on those fleeing and gun charges, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office requested $70,000 bail (or $35,000 with conditions) citing a public‑safety risk; the judge set bail at that level and Duncan posted $35,000 with conditions and was released.
- Police and family members believe Duncan thought his cousins were responsible for his arrest, though MPD says there is no proof of that motive.
- After the homicides, Duncan went to an IHOP in Brooklyn Center, where an exchange of gunfire with police ended with Duncan being shot and killed.
- A neighbor and former coach, Dozie Melvie, is quoted describing Duncan as a previously happy kid, underscoring community shock, especially over the 14‑year‑old’s death.
- Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s office issued a detailed public statement explaining the bail request, constitutional limits, and sequence leading to Duncan’s release and the alleged killings.