On December 13, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in St. Paul, Minnesota, resulting in the death of 30-year-old Alfonzo Armstead. The shooting took place shortly before 3 p.m. near the intersection of University Avenue and Arundel Street in the Summit-University neighborhood.
According to police reports, multiple 911 callers reported hearing gunshots and seeing someone lying on the ground. Officers responding to the scene found Armstead with gunshot wounds to his back, abdomen, and leg.
Emergency responders provided immediate first aid before transporting him to Regions Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Surveillance footage from the area revealed that the shooter, identified as 22-year-old E'Shaun Maurice Funches, exited an SUV occupied by two other individuals and approached Armstead, who was standing outside Sunrise Grocery and Tobacco store. Funches allegedly opened fire on Armstead while his back was turned. Following the shooting, a St. Paul police sergeant spotted Funches running from the scene and quickly apprehended him.
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office has since filed charges against Funches, including two counts of second-degree murder. During the investigation, a police dog discovered a handgun hidden in a plastic bag beneath a pile of leaves near the crime scene. The ammunition in the gun's magazine matched the casings found at the shooting location.
This incident marks the 33rd homicide of the year in St. Paul, highlighting ongoing concerns about violence in the area. Armstead's girlfriend informed the police that he had recently been involved in an altercation with three men in front of the store, which may provide context to the events leading up to the shooting.
The case has drawn attention to the criminal history of the alleged shooter, E'Shaun Funches. Court records indicate that Funches had recently completed a period of supervised probation on November 17, 2023, stemming from a previous conviction for armed robbery in Minneapolis. The shooting occurred just three and a half weeks after Funches was released from probation.
