St. Paul employee accused of shooting teen at recreation center pleads not guilty
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A city employee accused of shooting a teenager at a St. Paul recreation center in January pleaded not guilty on Tuesday according to Ramsey County court records.
Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr., 36, was charged with one count each of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault.
Binford allegedly shot 16-year-old JuVaughn Turner in the forehead on the afternoon of Jan. 18 at the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, where Binford worked at the time.
MORE: St. Paul employee, Exavir Binford Jr., charged in St. Paul recreation center shooting
According to the criminal complaint, Binford had shown his gun to Turner and another teenager when they began punching him, beating him for what police said was "a couple of seconds."
It was after the fight ended that Binford allegedly backed up, pulled out the gun and shot Turner in the head. Turner fell to the ground and Binford fled. Both of the youths were unarmed.
Binford told police that he felt bad about the altercation, and knew he should not have done it, and was "disappointed in himself," the complaint said. He also apologized to his mother.
Binford's trial is scheduled to start on July 13.