A 30-year-old migrant from Ethiopia, Tsegaab Binessu, allegedly shot and killed three apartment staffers at a St. Paul, Minnesota complex on Monday after a dispute over his $65 per month parking garage contract.
According to court documents reported Wednesday, Binessu reportedly wanted to cancel the contract to join the U.S. Navy but was told by phone he could not break it as it had been renewed. He claimed he was going to go to the leasing office in person and arrived armed, shooting Nansi Fuentes Zambrano, 25, Dena Silcox, 56, and Adam Wilwerding, 43, multiple times in an execution-style attack.
The documents state that Binessu believed he was treated unfairly because he is Black and an immigrant and expressed frustration over his inability to import his wife and children to the U.S. through chain migration. “Binessu said life without his family no longer made sense,” the court records indicate.
Binessu faces charges of second-degree murder with potential sentences of up to 40 years per count. The incident has left the community in shock, as the victims were well-liked by residents at the apartment complex. Tenant Ashley Chester described them as “good people,” noting that many long-term residents have been there for years.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi stated: “This shocking act of violence has shaken our community, and we thank the Saint Paul Police Department and other assisting agencies for their quick work to bring the suspect into custody. Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the three victims who lost their lives, and we will do everything in our power to hold the accused accountable and seek justice for our community and victims.”
The shooting occurred at an apartment complex in St. Paul, with Binessu appearing in court on Wednesday.
