Stolen Suni Lee bronze statue discovered after St. Paul police respond to shots fired call

Police say the statue of Olympic champion and Minnesota native Suni Lee has been recovered more than a year after it was stolen.

On Friday, St. Paul police said officers responded to a report of shots fired at a residence on the 900 block of Forest Street. Spent rifle casings were recovered outside a multi-unit home. No injuries have been reported. 

After obtaining a search warrant, police seized multiple firearms and ammunition from inside the home. Additionally, the bronze statue of Lee was discovered, still intact. 

The statue, which weighs nearly 50 pounds, was reported stolen from Lake Phalen Regional Park on July 31, 2025. Lee's statue cost $6,700 to install in 2023.

Ryan Murphy, a Senior Commander with the St. Paul Police Department, said that a drone proved instrumental in the statue's discovery. He said that they dispatched a drone in response to the initial call about the gunfire.

According to Murphy, while police had dedicated investigators looking for the statue, they weren't hopeful that they'd actually find it unscathed.   

"Never in a million years would you think something like that was still intact," Murphy said. "[You'd think] scrapped, you know? Shipped on a train car somewhere. Never think it's still somewhere in the city and completely intact."

Police say they arrested a man in connection with the stolen statue, but no arrests have been made in the shooting at this time. 

"Our city honored a great American, Minnesotan, and Saint Paulite, with a statue to celebrate her incredible achievements in multiple Olympic Games," St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said in a statement. "Last year, disrespectful and shameless thieves decided to desecrate this tribute by stealing the statue from our community. I am happy to report that the statue of Suni Lee has been recovered thanks to our officers' diligent response to what began as a shots fired call."

Seexeng Lee, the artist behind the statue, was thrilled to hear the news.

"I'm ecstatic that the St. Paul Police Department actually found it. I was floored how they found it," Seexeng Lee said. "What are the odds?"

St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez said that the city is now working to bring the statue back to the park. 

"We are absolutely thrilled that Suni Lee's statue has been found and are grateful to the Saint Paul Police Department for helping bring this special piece of our community home," Rodriguez said in a statement. "Suni has inspired people around the world and makes our city so proud. We can't wait to see her statue back at Lake Phalen where it belongs, celebrating her incredible accomplishments and inspiring Saint Paul residents for generations to come."

Suni Lee announced earlier this summer her return to gymnastics with an eye on the L.A. Summer Olympics in 2028.