Michael Brasel killing: Teen arrested for shooting of St. Paul man

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul police have arrested a teen suspect in the deadly shooting of a St. Paul man who family members say was killed confronting an apparent car thief last weekend.

Police announced the arrest Wednesday afternoon during a news conference.

Chief Axel Henry said Wednesday's arrest follows a search warrant executed on the 1600 block of Reaney Avenue related to the case. During the search, they arrested a 17-year-old boy who was taken into custody.

The circumstances that led police to the arrest are not yet known. The arrested teen will be booked in the city's juvenile facility on a charge of second-degree murder.

Forty-four-year-old Michael Brasel, a father, husband, and youth hockey coach, was gunned down outside his home on Chilcombe Avenue in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood. According to his wife, Brasel had gone out to intervene with someone breaking into her car around 7:30 a.m. Saturday. In a post, his wife said she heard three shots, all of which hit Brasel in the chest.

Brasel was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.

In a statement, Hilary Brasel said: "Michael was an amazing father, husband, and friend. He was hardworking, reliable, loyal, and lived to laugh. Art, automobiles, music, and hockey were his interests, but his family and friends were his true passion. When you were loved by Michael, it was never loud and flashy, but it was always genuine and true."

In the days after the shooting, police urged neighbors to check security video for any information that could help lead to an arrest. The Brasel family has also seen an outpouring of support, with an online fundraiser collecting more than $180,000 to support them.