Victim Identified In St. Paul's 30th Homicide Of 2019

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man who was found suffering from gunshot wounds at a parking lot in St. Paul and later died has been identified.

Police say they were called to the 200 block of State Street just before 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 26, where they found a man who was suffering from gunshot wounds to his head and torso in the parking lot of J & P Trading. He was later pronounced dead at Regions Hospital.

On Monday, St. Paul police identified the victim as 37-year-old Antonio Espana-Estrada of Minneapolis.

Soon after the shooting, officers were called 3 miles northwest to the area of Jackson and Sycamore streets on a report of an injured woman. The victim, who appeared to have suffered a head injury, was found near the southeast corner of Oakland Cemetery.

A van was found nearby, which had crashed into the cemetery's fence. Investigators think the woman was either pushed from or fell out of the van before the driver crashed and fled the scene on foot.

Police then found and arrested the 28-year-old St. Paul man, who they think was driving the van. He was booked into Ramsey County Jail on a pending charge of murder. He has not been formally charged yet.

Investigators say the shooting and crash are related. The death marks the 30th homicide in the city for 2019.