St. Paul triple fatal shooting suspect arrested in northern Minnesota; victims identified

Three adults are dead and a suspect is in custody after a shooting in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, on Monday afternoon, according to police.

Officers responded to the 1500 block of St. Paul Avenue for a report of shots fired at 4:10 p.m. Police said they found the three adults dead inside the leasing office of an apartment complex.

The officers then evacuated residents from the complex and worked to secure the area. St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said in a news conference Monday night that investigators had already executed one search warrant in connection with the shooting. 

In a social media post at 9:47 p.m., police said they had a person of interest in custody in connection with the shooting. Police on Tuesday morning said a 30-year-old was taken into custody Monday evening in Virginia, Minnesota, nearly 200 miles north of St. Paul. They have been transported to St. Paul police on suspicion of murder in the shootings. 

Investigators are working to determine what led to the incident and were searching the scene Monday night for evidence.

The three victims were identified by the medical examiner Tuesday morning as 25-year-old Nansi Fuentes Zambrano of Inver Grove Heights, 56-year-old Dena Silcox of St. Paul and 43-year-old Adam Wilwerding of Oakdale.

Neighbors at the Davern Park Apartment community say the three were employees at the leasing office.

"I feel very sad last night, I didn't sleep the whole time. I was shocked," said a neighbor, who wanted to stay anonymous. "They heard arguments, screaming and suddenly they heard gunshots, several gunshots. More than five times."

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the St. Paul Police Department Homicide Unit at 651-266-5650.

Police said the incident marks the ninth, 10th and 11th homicides of 2026 in the city.