The midday lunch rush was interrupted by gunfire on Saint Paul’s East Side Thursday, Sept. 23, leaving one man dead and police looking for the person who pulled the trigger.
The shots rang out at about 12:50 p.m. near the intersection of White Bear and Suburban Avenues, an area that’s home to a gas station, restaurants and other busy retail shops.
Officers quickly made their way to the scene and found an adult male lying in a parking lot and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The officers secured the scene, began rendering aid and summoned Saint Paul Fire medics, who transported the victim to Regions Hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
Now, a team of homicide investigators is looking for and interviewing possible witnesses and trying to piece together what happened in the moments before, during and after the man’s death. The police department’s forensics services unit will also respond to the scene to collect evidence.
As of Thursday afternoon, no motive has been determined and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 651-266-5650.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the man’s exact cause of death and positively identify him. That information, along with any updates in the case, will be released on the police department’s Twitter page, @sppdmn.
This is the 28th homicide of the year in the city.