St. Paul police arrest 17-year-old in youth coach Michael Brasel's shooting death
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- St. Paul police say they've arrested a teenager in the shooting death of a beloved youth coach.
Michael Brasel, 44, died of multiple gunshot wounds Saturday morning. He was shot just feet from his front door while trying to stop someone from breaking into his wife's car.
UPDATE: Boy, 17, charged with shooting youth hockey coach Michael Brasel
"Our gun violence is bad. We need to fix that problem," said St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry. "I will tell you if you commit gun violence in this city, we are coming. We are going to find you."
Late Wednesday afternoon, police said that SWAT members arrested a 17-year-old boy in the case. They emphasized this investigation is still at the beginning stages, and said they could not share more details, including how they connected this teenager to the shooting. They said they're pursuing charges of second-degree murder.
Terri Porthan watched the arrest happen.
"It was a little disconcerting when there was about 12 cars lining the street and then some down there. And SWAT. That's what really caught my attention," Porthan said.
She says she doesn't know the suspect, and is happy about that.
"It bothers me knowing that there was a murderer just literally wandering around right up there. You know, what if I would've confronted him about touching my garbage can or something, I don't know. That's kind of scary to think of," she said.
Andrew McNattin says he's glad police made an arrest before Brasel is laid to rest.
"The thought of going into the different things we'll have coming up to remember Michael, knowing that this guy was still out there was pretty hard to take," McNattin said.
The fact that a teen is facing murder charges doesn't change what he thinks should happen next.
"It's hard to think about somebody sitting there for 60, 70 years as a 17 year old, I'll give you that. But it's also really hard for me to think about what his actions mean for that specific family," he said. "He murdered a guy on his front stairs at 7:30 in the morning on a Saturday. That changes the ball game completely."
Friends say Brasel was a self-employed contractor who frequently helped neighbors, and was deemed one of the most selfless people.
Neighbors have been setting out hockey sticks on porches in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul, in tribute to Brasel.
Anyone with any information is asked to call St. Paul Police at 651-266-5650. Police are also looking for any video or doorbell camera video that anyone might have.
Visitation services for Brasel will be held Thursday evening in St. Paul. A GoFundMe for the family has raised funds well exceeding the initial $150,000 goal.
