ST PAUL, Minn — St. Paul police believe they know who pulled the trigger in an outburst of violence Sunday afternoon that left three people dead and two others wounded.
Interim police chief Jeremy Ellison told reporters at a press conference Monday afternoon that investigators think they have identified the person responsible. "We believe we do, yes," Ellison answered when asked if police know the identity of the person they're looking for, but offered no details while calling it an active investigation.
The chief said those wounded in the shooting and others they have talked to have been "helpful" in trying to determine what led to the shooting on the 900 block of Case Avenue East. Ellison said his investigators have ruled out the possibility the incident was domestic in nature but said other motives are still in play.
Ellison was among a group of city and community leaders who gathered to publicly decry the deadly shooting and the overall rise in violence across St. Paul. Longtime activist Tyrone Terrill, the president of the African American Leadership Council, challenged those who know something about Sunday's shooting or who is responsible to step up and share the information with police.
"We just need to say to our community, if you... can help us tell the individual responsible for this to turn himself, turn herself in, as soon as possible," Terrill urged. "We need anybody who is out in our community who's done something like this... they're a danger to everybody."
Terrill added that if the suspect is afraid of what might happen, they can call his organization - the African American Leadership Council - and they will broker a peaceful surrender to police.
Mayor Melvin Carter, City Council Member Jane Prince and neighborhood activists spoke of the impact of violence on residents, and on children who will return to school tomorrow on the heels of a horrible incident that may have shaken their sense of safety and security.
"I know I speak for all of us when I say, we're tired of these press conferences, we're tired of these midnight calls, we're tired of these incidents playing out in our community, over and over and over and over again," Carter sighed.
A short time before the community press conference, 0St. Paul police released the names of those killed in yesterday's shooting. They are:
- Angelica M. Gonzales, a 33-year-old female
- Cory U. Freeman, a 42-year-old male
- Maisha M. Spaulding, a 44-year-old female
All three victims are listed as residents of St. Paul.
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