Michael Brasel killing: Teen charged with murder

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 17-year-old arrested in Michael Brasel's death was formally charged with murder on Friday.

Prosecutors charged the 17-year-old with aiding and abetting intentional second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree murder while committing a felony after Brasel was shot and killed outside his home in St. Paul while attempting to stop a carjacking, according to court records. 

Ramsey County Attorney’s Office filed a petition to certify the 17-year-old as an adult. They said his criminal history shows "he does not hesitate" to invade the personal space of his victims.

According to the statement of probable cause, St. Paul police officers responded to the 2300 block of Chilcombe Avenue for multiple reports of a man who had been shot in front of his home. One of the callers was Brasel’s son. 

Upon arrival, officers found a group of people surrounding Brasel while a neighbor and his wife were performing CPR. Officers saw apparent gunshot wounds to his chest and back. Brasel was taken to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. 

Brasel’s son told police he heard his father yelling outside, "What are you doing?" and then heard what he thought were multiple gunshots. He looked out of his bedroom window and said he saw a man wearing dark clothing enter a vehicle and leave the scene, court records said.    

At the time of the shooting, the 44-year-old father was trying to stop someone from attempting to steal his car. The car door was ajar, and Brasel’s wife said the vehicle appeared to have been rummaged through. Another person from a nearby street said their vehicle had also been searched through before the shooting. 

Investigators recovered video from nearby homes, which they say captured some of the incident, including a dark vehicle in the area just after the shots were heard. Police said they matched the vehicle to the teenager in addition to cellphone records that placed him in the area at the time of the shooting, according to court records.  

Police say the 17-year-old did not cooperate with investigators while trying to obtain a statement. 

Family, friends and the community continue to mourn the death of the beloved hockey coach and father. The Minnesota Wild posted a photo of hockey sticks being left out in honor of Brasel. 

Michael’s wife also shared a statement about how much he loved being a hockey coach. 

"He loved the time he spent with the kids making sure they all had their skates tied, their helmets were secured, and they knew that their individual efforts were what would make the team successful. His teams never left a locker room after a game with a goal to work on, or a moment of growth acknowledged. His words were always full of humor and fatherly wisdom which included that the kids needed to "practice tying their own skates" so that by the time they were Peewees they were ready to tie their own skates," she wrote in part. 

A candlelight vigil to honor Michael’s life is being held in Langford Park at 7 p.m. on May 12. The surrounding streets will be blocked off, and limited candles are available, so people are encouraged to bring their own.