West St. Paul: Mother calls for witnesses to unsolved park shooting to speak out

Molly Korzenowski, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
·2 min read

Jul. 17—Over a month since her son's death, Nicole Malone is still waiting for answers — and justice.

On June 9, officers got a call at approximately 9 p.m. that a man had been shot at a West St. Paul park. Officers arrived to find a man with a gunshot wound. According to Nicole Malone, that man was her 20-year-old son Jayvon Malone.

"Justice for us would be to find those who are involved ... in the murder of Jayvon," Nicole Malone said. "This was a setup, in my eyes. It wasn't random."

West St. Paul police have released few details about the shooting death — including the name of the person killed. Two people taken into custody have since been released after no charges were filed.

Investigators have said there was a crowd in Thompson County Park the night of the shooting. Most fled, and those that remained were not cooperative.

Nicole Malone is holding out hope someone will come forward to provide the information needed to catch the shooter.

WHY THAT PARK?

Jayvon Malone went to high school in St. Paul and lived in Maplewood with his mother. He was Nicole Malone's only son; he had two older sisters.

Jayvon Malone did not frequent the West St. Paul park, which borders U.S. 52, according to his mother. She suspects he was lured there and said she isn't sure why he was there that night, although he was likely with friends and associates.

Officers suspect it was a targeted shooting, according to a police statement early in the investigation.

Malone was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul that night but did not survive. The case remains under investigation, police have said.

RAPPING SINCE AGE 5

Jayvon Malone had been rapping since he was 5 years old, his mother said. He wrote, sang and produced his own music which he released on Soundcloud, she said. He went by the name "JDOTT."

"He had a lot of potential," Nicole Malone said. "He was loved by everyone. He was loved by people I haven't even met."

According to Nicole Malone, his interest in music "attracted the good and the bad."

Jayvon Malone was convicted for a 2018 aggravated robbery and was jailed for 60 days. Nicole Malone said he got out of jail Dec. 16. He would be dead six months later.

"His whole youth was in jail through the system," Nicole Malone said.

HOW TO HELP

Support for Nicole Malone and her remaining family can be shown through the Facebook page, #justiceforjayvon.

Investigators are asking the public for information regarding the killing. Anyone with information is asked to call the West St. Paul Police Department at 651-552-4200.