Video shows gunman injuring 2 in St. Paul cafe before taking own life in police shootout
Police say 32-year-old Tevin Bellaphant died by suicide on Friday after shooting at police officers several times inside an Aldi grocery store and a nearby Cub Foods off Clarence Street on the city's east side.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension now says a man and a woman were hurt amid the spree inside neighboring Destiny Café 2, correcting the original police report that stated the victims were two women.
The bureau says officers were first dispatched on Friday after Bellaphant took a 4-year-old child from a relative's home without permission. Two St. Paul police officers found Bellaphant inside a nearby Aldi store. The BCA says they tried talking to Bellaphant but he pushed an officer and ran off, leaving the child behind.
After falling near the front of the Aldi, officers say he pulled out a handgun and fired at them. The officers shot back as he fled towards the cafe.
Surveillance footage shows a man and a woman frantically running inside the cafe as Bellaphant approaches. The woman is seen trying to keep the door closed as Bellaphant gets his arm inside the door, shooting her and the man, before fleeing.
Cafe manager Eddie Thao says the woman was shot in the upper leg and the man was struck in the lower leg. He says it was a truly scary scene, with 40 to 50 people packed into the restaurant.
"I was so shocked when he shot the two bullets at first, it was three total … we didn't even know how to react," Thao said. "It was in less than seconds, and then we ducked our heads … I'm so glad our customers, they weren't hurt."
Thao says the man and woman were walking their dog and were likely just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
On Wednesday, the bureau released the names of the three law enforcement members who exchanged gunfire with Bellaphant: officers Christopher Leon and Melissa Leistikow, and Sgt. Megan Kosloske. All three are on standard administrative leave.
Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
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32 minutes ago
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