ST PAUL, Minn. — A motorist was shot and killed Wednesday night at the intersection of University and Snelling Avenue in St. Paul.
“That was our 32nd homicide," says St. Paul police spokesman, Steve Linders.
Linders says officers received a phone call from a man, identified as 55-year-old Jeffrey Mintz, saying he had just been shot. "Somebody possibly in another vehicle pulled out a gun and shot at him," he says. "We’re not sure why it happened yet.”
Linders say the latest homicide is two more than the last year in St. Paul. "Which is more than we’ve had in 25 year," he says. "Reaching grim milestones in the City of St. Paul.”
He says reports of shots fired are up 110 % year-to-date. "The number of people shot were at least 214 people this year, and 26 of those have died," Linders says.
Linders says while detectives cleared 28 of the 32 homicides with arrests or charges, they’re still working to track down illegally possessed guns. "We tried to figure out what type of a gun and if that gun to be linked to any other crimes," he says. "Of the 32 homicides. 26 of those involved people illegally possessing and pulling the trigger of a gun in St. Paul," Linders says.
While investigators are still trying to piece together who is responsible for the latest homicide, friends of Mintz, who say he was a beloved musician, father, friend, and lawyer, are hoping the person responsible is caught soon.
“Not sure why it happened or who pulled the trigger," says Linders. "Unfortunately, when we got to the victim there wasn’t anything that could be done, he was transported to the hospital where he passed away.”
If you have any information on this latest homicide, you're asked to call St. Paul police.