St. Paul to pay $9.5M over Jimmy Lee rec center shooting
The St. Paul City Council is poised to approve a $9.5 million settlement with the family of JuVaughn Turner, who was 16 when he was shot in the head by city employee Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr. outside the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in January 2023. The civil suit says Turner survived but now lives with permanent physical and cognitive impairments that will affect his ability to work, maintain relationships and handle basic daily tasks. The complaint also lays out Binford’s prior history as a city worker, including an earlier allegation that he threatened to shoot another teen — a report the city allegedly failed to properly investigate just months before this shooting. Binford, who reportedly said, "If I got to kill somebody I will. I don’t give a f---" shortly before pulling the trigger, pleaded guilty in 2024 to first‑degree assault and is serving a 125‑month sentence, with release expected in December 2029. If approved, the settlement would close the family’s claims in exchange for releasing future legal action, leaving taxpayers on the hook for one of the largest recent payouts tied to a city employee’s violence at a public facility.
📌 Key Facts
- St. Paul City Council will vote Wednesday on a $9.5 million settlement with the family of shooting victim JuVaughn Turner.
- Turner was 16 when city worker Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr. shot him in the head outside Jimmy Lee Recreation Center in January 2023, leaving him with permanent, life‑altering injuries.
- The lawsuit alleges the city ignored an earlier report that Binford had threatened to shoot another teen, and Binford is now serving a 125‑month prison sentence after pleading guilty to first‑degree assault.
📊 Relevant Data
In Minnesota, Black individuals, who comprise approximately 7% of the population, accounted for 76% of known murder perpetrators in 2021.
The demographics of crime in Minnesota, with updated 2022 data — American Experiment
Young Black males ages 15-34 make up 1.2% of Minnesota's population but accounted for 40% of all gun homicide deaths in 2023.
State Data: Minnesota — Center for Gun Violence Solutions
In St. Paul, the population demographics as of 2022 include White alone 50.4%, Black or African American alone 15.7%, Asian alone 19.2%, and Hispanic or Latino 9.4%.
St. Paul city, Minnesota — U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts
In Minnesota, the homicide rate for Black residents is significantly higher than for other groups, with Black Minnesotans comprising a disproportionate share of both victims and perpetrators relative to their population percentage.
The demographics of crime in Minnesota, with updated 2022 data — American Experiment
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