In the early hours of August 17, 2020, Matthew Perkins, a 33-year-old Black / African American man, was fatally shot in a residential area of South Saint Paul, Minnesota. The incident, which also left his 36-year-old cousin seriously injured, stemmed from a heated argument. Perkins was discovered by police lying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy later confirmed that he had been shot five times and succumbed to blood loss.
Remembered by his family as a protector, a hero, and the foundation of their family, Perkins was a devoted father, uncle, son, and brother. His sister described him as the glue that held everyone together. He was attempting to protect a friend and confront his past when he was killed. At the time of his death, he was working to establish his own business.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led authorities to a suspect. Based on the account of Perkins' surviving cousin, police identified Jerome Deshawn Misters, a 35-year-old from Newport, as the shooter. Misters was apprehended just hours after the incident at a hotel he was known to frequent.
Jerome Deshawn Misters was subsequently charged with murder and attempted murder. In June 2021, a Dakota County jury convicted him of second-degree intentional murder and attempted second-degree intentional murder. He was sentenced to more than 55 years in prison for his role in the shooting that ended Matthew Perkins' life and seriously wounded another. As part of his sentence, Misters was also ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution.
