St. Paul’s deadly year

Homicide claimed 31 people in St. Paul in 2019, the highest number since the record of 34 slayings set in the mid-1990s. The majority of the victims were young men of color who lost their lives to gun violence in a year that saw a record number of fatal shootings in the city. One man was shot and killed after attacking a police officer. Despite a lull toward the end of the year, the gunfire left residents and angry and scared, while a frustrated mayor and police chief called on federal authorities to help stop the chaos.

Devon McClellan McClellan, 29, was shot during the evening in an alley of University Avenue. He died hours later at the hospital. No arrests have been made. Levi Gardent Jr. Gardent, 3, died of blunt force trauma from abuse at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend, who was convicted of murder and is now serving a prison sentence. Charles Frye Frye, 39, was a father of nine. He was shot and killed at a house party on E. Maryland Avenue. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Aaron Delaney Delaney, 20, was shot and killed after an argument at a Holiday gas station on Minnehaha Avenue. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Raytrell Benjamin Benjamin, 23, was fatally shot while sitting in the driver’s seat of a van on Carroll Avenue. No one has been arrested in his killing. Mark Franklin Jr. Franklin, 21, was shot while defending his cousin as she was being assaulted by her boyfriend. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Matthew Schramm Schramm, 33, was found shot in the home he owned just off W. 7th Street. The alleged shooter was arrested and charged with murder. Marquez Perry-Banks Perry-Banks, 21, was gunned down in the driver’s seat of his vehicle outside the Maryland Supermarket. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Michael Gray Gray, 33, was shot and killed at 2 a.m. outside Johnny Baby’s bar on W. University Avenue. No arrests have been made in his killing. Riley Taylor Taylor, 4, died after he was left alone for hours in a hot SUV with the window cracked. His father, who was working, is now serving time for manslaughter. Dajuon Johnson Johnson, 22, died a week after he was shot in the head at a BP gas station at the corner of University and Hamline avenues. No arrests have been made. Walter Quarles Quarles, 39, was shot mutiple times after an argument at a home near Indian Mounds Regional Park. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Jessica Williams Williams, 27, a mother of three children, was shot by her ex-boyfriend after she broke up with him. He was charged with murder. Randy Davis Davis, 20, was shot in the chest by a woman playing with a gun after a party in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood. She was charged with manslaughter. Thomas Harrigan Harrigan, 36, a firefighter and decorated National Guard medic, was shot following an argument in his home. Two brothers were charged with murder. Kacey Feiner Feiner, 22, was shot multiple times at close range following an argument near Battle Creek Regional Park. A rival gang member was charged with murder. Javier Sanmiguel Sanmiguel, 31, a married father of four, was shot trying to help a mentally ill man who crashed his car. The man was charged with murder. Raumez Ross Ross, 18, was shot while walking along Rice Street in the North End neighborhood and died in a corner store. A 15-year-old was charged with murder. Nickey Taylor Taylor, 27, was in a car near University Avenue and Marion Street when he was shot by occupants of another vehicle. No arrests have been made. Ronald Davis Davis, 31, was fatally shot by a St. Paul police officer after Davis rammed the officer’s squad vehicle and charged at him with a knife. Rayvell Carter Carter, 41, was shot outside St. Albans Church of God in Christ as he left a Bible study session with family members. No arrests have been made. Terry Edwards Edwards, 36, was shot near N. Mendota Street and E. Fremont Avenue following a dispute over a drug buy. The alleged shooter was charged with murder. Wayne Brown Brown, 29, was shot and killed shortly after 11 p.m. in the 1000 block of Hudson Road. No one has been arrested in his death. Jerico Boykin Sr. Boykin, 23, was shot while driving his SUV. His 4-year-old son, who was in the vehicle with him, was shot in the foot. A gang rival was charged with murder. Shawn Jones Jones, 28, was found shot in his car at St. Anthony Avenue and N. Dale Street. Two brothers who are rival gang members were charged with murder. Steven Malone Malone, 65,was found strangled and suffocated in his apartment. A woman was charged with murder and manslaughter in his death. David Lee Lee, 32, was a husband, father and youth basketball coach. He was shot in the driver’s seat of his SUV, while his wife suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. Anthony Martin Martin, 25, was shot in a vehicle along with the driver by a man who tried to force his way into the car. He has been charged with murder. Da’Qwan Jones-Morris Jones-Morris, 17, was shot in the chest by a friend playing with a stolen handgun. Two teenagers, ages 15 and 16, were charged with manslaughter. Daniel Olvera Olvera, 20, was discovered shot in a vehicle at about 5 p.m. on Wayzata Street just east of Rice Street. No one has been arrested in his death. Antonio Espana-Estrada Espana-Estrada, 37, was shot while leaving work at a food distributor. The alleged shooter has been charged with murder.

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