On the evening of September 9, 2019, a tragic event unfolded in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood of Saint Paul, Minnesota, claiming the life of 31-year-old Javier Sanmiguel Yanez. A multi-vehicle crash occurred around 10 p.m. at the intersection of Case Avenue East and Edgerton Street North, just outside of his home. Hearing the collision, Yanez, along with other neighbors, rushed outside to offer assistance to those involved.
As a Good Samaritan, Yanez approached one of the vehicles, a
hatchback, intending to help the driver who appeared to be injured. As he was attempting to open the rear hatch to check on the occupant, the driver fired a gun from inside the car, through the back window. The bullet struck Yanez in the head, fatally wounding him at the scene of his compassionate act. This act of violence left a wife without her husband and four young children without their father.
The man responsible for the crash and the subsequent shooting was identified as 27-year-old Lionel Keejuan Eaton of Roseville, Minnesota. Following the incident, Eaton was arrested and taken into custody. The Ramsey County Attorney's Office later charged him with second-degree murder and third-degree murder. Reports suggested that Eaton may have been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the incident, with his mother informing police of her concerns. Eaton reportedly told investigators that he believed his vehicle had been intentionally rammed and that he thought he heard gunshots prior to firing his weapon.
