St. Paul IDs first 2026 homicide victim in Payne-Phalen
St. Paul police have identified the man shot and killed Sunday afternoon on the 900 block of York Avenue in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood as a 25-year-old city resident, marking the capital city’s first homicide of 2026. Officers responding around 2:25 p.m. found him with multiple gunshot wounds; he died at the scene despite emergency efforts, and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner has now formally released his name. No arrests have been announced, and investigators in the homicide unit are still working to determine a motive and identify suspects while canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance video. The killing has heightened concern in the East Side neighborhood, where residents are already dealing with fallout from the federal ICE surge and other recent shootings, and police are asking anyone with information to contact them or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers.
📌 Key Facts
- St. Paul’s first homicide of 2026 occurred Sunday afternoon on the 900 block of York Avenue in Payne-Phalen.
- The victim has been identified as a 25-year-old St. Paul resident; he died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
- No suspects are in custody, and St. Paul homicide detectives are seeking witnesses and video as the investigation continues.
📊 Relevant Data
The Payne-Phalen neighborhood in St. Paul, MN, has a population of 31,458, with racial composition of 41% Asian, 27.7% White, 19% Black, 7.1% two or more races, 4.4% other, 0.8% American Indian, and 0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander based on 2019–2023 American Community Survey data.
Payne-Phalen, St. Paul, MN Demographics: Population, Income, and More — Point2Homes
The poverty rate in Payne-Phalen, St. Paul, MN, is 23.3%, with 7,188 individuals below the poverty level based on 2019–2023 American Community Survey data.
Payne-Phalen, St. Paul, MN Demographics: Population, Income, and More — Point2Homes
In Minnesota in 2024, Black residents comprised approximately 7% of the population but 57.6% (98 out of 170) of homicide victims, resulting in a per capita victimization rate of about 24.6 per 100,000 compared to 1.13 per 100,000 for White residents (50 victims, 77.5% population).
Legislative Report 2024 Uniform Crime Report October 16, 2025 — Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Nationally in 2023, the homicide victimization rate was 21.3 per 100,000 for Black persons compared to 3.2 per 100,000 for White persons.
Homicide Victimization in the United States, 2023 — Bureau of Justice Statistics
In the United States in 2019, 89% of Black homicide victims were killed by Black offenders, and 81% of White homicide victims were killed by White offenders in single victim/single offender incidents.
Expanded Homicide Data Table 6 — FBI Uniform Crime Reporting
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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