St. Paul Man Charged With Attempted Murder In Maplewood Triple Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 23-year-old St. Paul man faces multiple charges in a Maplewood triple shooting that hurt a child, a teen and a young man Wednesday evening.
Brendon Joseph Garza was charged Friday with several counts each of attempted murder and assault in connection to the shooting.
Authorities say the shooting happened around 5 p.m. at the Maplewood Gardens apartments on McKnight Road and Pond Avenue. The victims were ages 12, 15 and 21. Investigators say an apparent social media dispute could have prompted the incident.
According to the criminal complaint, a vehicle pulled into the parking lot and stopped in front of a minivan. The two youngest boys were walking toward the minivan, and Garza and another man got out of the vehicle. The 21-year-old got out of the minivan, approaching the other vehicle with a handgun held at his side.
A short time later, Garza raised his own handgun and fired at the 21-year-old. Investigators say when Garza began firing, the 21-year-old's arms were at his sides. According to police, video never shows him pointing his gun at Garza or his passenger. Garza's passenger immediately fled when he began shooting.
Officials say the 21-year-old dropped his handgun on the sidewalk as he scrambled to avoid being shot. He and the younger boys fell to the ground when Garza fired, seeking cover behind vehicles in the parking lot.
Garza then fled on foot, leaving his vehicle behind. Inside the vehicle, police found an empty Glock gun case. Officers also found 14 shell casings in the parking lot.
The younger victims also fled on foot, and the 21-year-old got into the minivan before it left the parking lot. The 12-year-old had a gunshot wound to his right armpit and the 15-year-old was shot in the chest. The 21-year-old had gunshot wounds to his face, arm, legs and chest.
When officers arrested Garza, he reportedly said, "I had to – it was self-defense." Garza's passenger told police the 21-year-old allegedly came up to their vehicle in an aggressive manner, threatening to "shoot this b— up." He said that's when Garza fired his gun.
The 15-year-old is in the hospital recovering from a collapsed lung, the 15-year-old is in the hospital with numbness in his right arm and the 21-year-old is in critical condition.
"It doesn't feel safe over here, not when it happens in the middle of the night. It happens during the day, it's scary," neighbor Jenny Nelson said. "Sick to my stomach. I'm like shaking right now even though they weren't anyone I know involved."
After the shooting, St. Paul police say Regions Hospital went on lockdown at about 7:20 p.m. for a short time when family members of one of the victims clashed with family members of the suspect in a parking lot. Police say no one was hurt in the scuffle, and no one was arrested.