Eddie Cortez Smith, aged 40, was fatally shot on October 17, 2018, outside Born's Bar on Rice Street in St. Paul, Minnesota. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. when Smith and another man, Dewayne Anthony Ivory, had an altercation on the sidewalk outside the bar. Smith, who had been released from prison just over a year prior after serving time for a 2010 vehicular homicide, was taken to Regions Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
Dewayne Anthony Ivory, aged 31,
was arrested in connection with the shooting. Ivory, who called 911 to report the incident, was found at the scene along with two handguns. Police believe that Smith and Ivory knew each other, although the exact nature of their relationship remains unclear. Ivory, who resides in Forest Lake, was booked at the Ramsey County jail on suspicion of murder. However, as of the following Friday, charges had not yet been filed against him, and he was released from custody early Saturday morning due to the deadline for charging.
Smith's death marked the 14th homicide in St. Paul for the year 2018. Friends and family remembered him as a protector and someone who held his family together. His past included a conviction for a 2010 drunken crash that resulted in the death of a 93-year-old woman, for which he expressed remorse and served the maximum sentence. The investigation into Smith's death continued as authorities sought to piece together the events leading up to the fatal shooting.
