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ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - In the Johnny Baby’s parking lot, with hands clasped, eyes closed and heads hung, gatherers pled for 33-year-old Michael “Smiley” Gray.
The group of people gathered at the very spot where the father of three was shot and killed Saturday morning in St. Paul.
Gray’s death marks the second of two deadly shootings in St. Paul this weekend.
Gray’s loved ones are now struggling with how they’ll move on without him.
“Hopefully, justice is served real quick and it’ll ease my mother’s heart and mind,” said Cornelius Beverly, Gray’s brother.
“He really loved his family,” added Lala Gray, his sister. “So he would really, really love to see this. To see everybody together. To see all this family and his friends. And we need to celebrate him and not forget him. Don’t forget him.”
The investigation
Officers tried to talk to witnesses, but only one person agreed to speak with police. Investigators are asking anyone who was there or who knows what happened to call the Homicide Unit at 651-266-5650.
“There was more people out there than just that one person who was willing to talk to us, and we need those people to come to us, work with us, so we can hold the person that’s responsible for this crime," said Sgt. Mike Ernster with St. Paul Police. “We're all safer when we work together, and we need to work together right now."
Ernster also said officers have done 220 proactive police visits to Johnny Baby's, and officers have responded to 358 calls total there within the last year.
“We’re looking for that personal interaction. What happened out there that led to this. We’ll take anybody’s call...whether they witnessed it, or whether they know secondhand, just please call us,” he said.
Police do not have any suspects in custody.
This marks the city's ninth homicide of the year, and the second within 24 hours.