On a summer afternoon in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the life of Devonte Steven Ingram, a 28-year-old Black / African American man, was tragically cut short. On July 26, 2021, Ingram was found inside a vehicle in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Regions Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The incident, which marked the city's 14th homicide of the year, was determined by investigators not to be a random act of violence.
Ingram, a father of three from a Minneapolis suburb, had arranged to meet a buyer for a small amount of marijuana that day. He had left his home in West St. Paul between 12:30 and 1 p.m. for the prearranged meeting. Witnesses later recounted a chaotic scene, describing a struggle within Ingram's vehicle between him and two other men. One witness reported seeing the passenger holding a gun and ultimately shooting Ingram in the back. Following the sound of a gunshot, one of the men was seen grabbing a backpack from the ground and fleeing, while the other man exited from the passenger side of the car and also ran from the scene.
The Saint Paul Police Department launched a thorough investigation into the homicide. Through surveillance footage and witness descriptions, authorities were able to identify one of the suspects. On August 20, 2021, an FBI task force in Chicago apprehended 21-year-old Jalan Wells in connection with Ingram's murder. Wells was subsequently extradited to Minnesota and booked into the Ramsey County jail. At the time of Wells's arrest, law enforcement stated that they were still searching for a second suspect involved in the fatal shooting.
