On June 13, 2020, Nia A. Black, a 23-year-old makeup artist from Saint Paul, MN, was tragically killed during a large fight at the Lamplighter Cocktail Lounge located at 160 Larpenteur Avenue West, Saint Paul. Nia was attempting to leave the scene when she was struck by a bullet, suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The incident occurred amidst a chaotic altercation involving multiple individuals.
The primary suspect in Nia Black's death is James Jones Fields, a 35-year-old man
with a history of violent offenses. Fields has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection to the shooting. According to the criminal complaint, Fields was identified through witness statements and video footage that captured him moving from the bar to his car and then exiting the vehicle shortly before the shots were fired. Fields' criminal record includes previous convictions for assaults and a burglary, with one notable incident in 2014 where he shot at a man in the same parking lot of the Lamplighter Lounge.
On the night of the incident, Nia Black and her friends were in the parking lot of the Lamplighter Lounge after being denied entry due to the bar being at capacity. A verbal altercation between Black and another woman escalated into a physical fight, drawing more people from inside the bar. As Black and her friend attempted to leave the scene in their car, shots were fired, shattering the back window and fatally wounding Black. The driver of the car, in a desperate attempt to get help, was pulled over by a sheriff's deputy, where Black was declared dead at the scene.
James Jones Fields was apprehended after a search warrant at his home revealed clothing matching what he was seen wearing on the night of the shooting. Additionally, his cell phone records placed him at the scene during the time of the incident. Fields remains in custody as the investigation continues, with authorities urging any additional witnesses to come forward.
