ST PAUL, Minn. — A truly innocent victim. A senseless death.
That is how the family of Jeffery Mintz describes what unfolded the night of Dec. 16, 2020, when the driver of a minivan fired a single shot near the intersection of Snelling and University Avenues in St. Paul and sped off.
That shot, fired just before 9:45 p.m., would hit Mintz in the back, sending his vehicle careening into a nearby bus shelter. Despite the efforts of first responders Mintz would die hours later at Regions Hospital.
More than a year later the case remains unsolved. Now, Mintz's family is taking a significant step to find the person responsible by teaming with CrimeStoppers Minnesota to offer a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
On Tuesday, St. Paul police sent out a series of images never seen by the public, allegedly of the vehicle driven by the suspect. Police spokesman Steve Linders says it appears to be a early to mid-2000s Dodge Grand Caravan or Plymouth Grand Voyager. Investigators say the suspect fled westbound on University after firing the fatal shot.
“Jeff was an entirely innocent victim in this. He was doing nothing more than just driving on the road," insists St. Paul police investigators John Keating. "We believe this person intended to shoot at Jeff. However, we believe that there was no previous history between the two of them. We know that there was a minor traffic encounter just a few seconds before the shooting.”
If you recognize the vehicle or know who is responsible for the death of Jeffery Mintz, call St. Paul police at 651-266-5650. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
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