Jamarrion J. Davis, 18, is charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of 15-year-old Jameel C. Redding-Pettigrew, of Fort Dodge.

A shooting was reported near South 15th Street and Fourth Avenue South at 9:44 p.m. on July 4. Redding-Pettigrew was found on the southwest side of the intersection, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The next day, a warrant for Davis’ arrest was issued.

Davis was arrested on July 6 when the Special Emergency Response Team, a unit of Fort Dodge police officers and Webster County sheriff’s deputies, went to an apartment building at 447 N. 27th St. to apprehend the suspect. As the team members approached, Davis attempted to run away, but was tackled after a short foot chase and taken into custody.

On Aug. 29, Davis’ defense attorney, Charles Kenville, filed a motion for a change of venue, citing news media coverage of the case. In a resistance filed by Assistant Webster County Attorney Brad McIntyre, McIntyre argued that “any pretrial publicity in this matter in the Fort Dodge Messenger and any television news was strictly factual and non-prejudicial in nature.” However, the state withdrew its resistance to the motion during a hearing on Thursday.

During Thursday’s hearing, District Court Judge Kurt Stoebe ruled that the trial should be moved and selected Story County as the new venue. The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 26.

According to the criminal complaint filed against Davis, the fatal shooting of Redding-Pettigrew “is presumed to be in retaliation for a homicide in early May 2023 resulting in the death of an associate of Jamarrion by Jameel’s older brother.” Witnesses to the July 4 shooting told investigators that once Davis learned the identity of Redding-Pettigrew, he left a house party to seek out the victim.

According to the complaint, residential security footage from the neighborhood shows that Redding-Pettigrew fell to the ground after two shots were initially fired at him, and then the shooter stood over the victim and fired additional rounds at him.

Redding-Pettigrew’s older brother, 17-year-old Davonquae Pettigrew, is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder for a May 2 shooting in downtown Fort Dodge that left 18-year-old Patrick Walker dead and 20-year-old Silas Hill injured. Pettigrew is in custody awaiting trial.

Davis was previously arrested last summer in connection with a shooting that critically injured a 26-year-old woman on Fort Dodge’s south side. Walker was also arrested in connection with that shooting. Both were charged with intimidation with a dangerous weapon, a Class C felony; going armed with intent, a Class D felony; willful injury, a Class C felony; criminal gang participation, a Class D felony; and minor armed with a dangerous weapon, a serious misdemeanor.

In December, Davis pleaded guilty to going armed with intent and minor armed with a dangerous weapon. He was sentenced to five years in prison for the felony and one year for the serious misdemeanor. Both prison sentences were suspended and Davis was placed on probation.

In November, Walker pleaded guilty to going armed with intent and possession of a firearm by a felon. In his written plea, Walker admitted to going armed on July 26, 2022, with the intent to use a firearm against Damarious Clark and another individual. Walker was sentenced to suspended sentences of five years for each charge and placed on probation.