In the early morning hours of September 12, 2025, the life of 20-year-old Matthew Lee, a Black male, was tragically cut short by gun violence in a South Saint Paul, MN, home. A junior at St. Olaf College, Matthew was a dedicated student-athlete, majoring in economics and playing as a linebacker for the school's football team. His passion for the sport was matched only by his kind heart and unwavering love for his family and friends.
A graduate of South Saint Paul High School, he was known as a leader and a great student who had overcome adversity in his own life with resilience and a positive outlook.
The fatal shooting occurred at approximately 3:45 a.m. inside a residence in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South. When South Saint Paul police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered two men with gunshot wounds. Matthew Lee was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other man was transported to a nearby hospital with critical injuries. The incident prompted a temporary shelter-in-place alert for the neighborhood as law enforcement searched for the suspect who had fled on foot.
Within two hours, at around 5:45 a.m., a 19-year-old suspect from St. Paul was arrested without incident in the 500 block of 1st Avenue South, about a quarter-mile from the scene of the shooting. The suspect was later found hiding in a shed. An investigation into the shooting revealed that six people, including Matthew Lee, were gathered in an upstairs bedroom. The 19-year-old suspect and another man were comparing firearms. The other man left the room and upon returning, attempted to rob the 19-year-old at gunpoint. The 19-year-old then fired his weapon multiple times, striking the man who attempted to rob him and also hitting Matthew Lee, who was described by a witness as an innocent bystander.
The 19-year-old suspect, who was ineligible to possess a firearm due to a prior conviction for making violent threats, was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and possession of a firearm by an ineligible person. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner officially ruled Matthew Lee's death a homicide. In the wake of this tragedy, the St. Olaf College community mourned the loss of a beloved student-athlete, holding a candlelight vigil in his honor. His family and friends remember him as a devoted son, a protective brother, and a loyal friend whose presence lit up every room.
