St. Paul Post Office shooting: Man with apparent mental health issues shot coworker, charges say

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 28-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after he allegedly shot his coworker at a U.S. Post Office in St. Paul on Sunday. 

Tewabe Semu Getachew, 28, of St. Paul, is charged with second-degree attempted murder in the case. 

What happened

Police responded to the U.S. Post Office on Seventh Street West in St. Paul at 3:24 p.m. on Oct. 13 after an employee found a supervisor, identified by police as a 50-year-old Eagan man, had been shot "several times," according to the criminal complaint. 

The victim told the employee, "He shot me. He shot me. Call the police," charges said. The employee called the police and put the phone on speakerphone. When the dispatcher asked who shot him, the victim said "Tewabe. Tewabe left. Talk to Tewabe." 

Police recovered 12 .40 caliber Smith and Wesson casings from the floor near where the victim had been shot. 

The victim told police Getachew shot him but wasn't able to respond when police asked why Getachew shot him, charges said. 

Police learned Getachew worked out of the Seventh Street West U.S. Post Office earlier that day, returning to the Post Office at 3:14 p.m. and punching out at 3:22 p.m. The only electronic devices at the Post Office before the 911 call was made corresponded to Getachew, the employee who called 911 and the victim, charges state. 

Surveillance video from a gas station across the street from the Post Office showed Getachew leaving the Post Office parking lot around 3:19 p.m. Surveillance video showed Getachew getting home in his vehicle around 3:25 p.m. and driving off again at 3:37 p.m. 

Police found Getachew's vehicle and stopped it in front of his home around 4:50 p.m. Police removed Getachew from his vehicle and took him into custody. 

Authorities noted Getachew had what looked like blood on the laces of his right shoe, charges said. Getachew didn't have a gun on him and no gun was found in his vehicle. 

Police and a Postal Inspector searched Getachew's home, where they found a gun box with a Glock .40 caliber gun and a magazine that held several rounds of Smith and Wesson ammunition. An examination of the gun shows that it fired the casings recovered from the Post Office, charges said. 

When speaking with Getachew, they smelled alcohol. Getachew said he drank a beer after work when he stopped home, the complaint states. 

Getachew told police he saw the victim after he punched out for the day, noting the victim was the only other person he saw in the building. He said the victim wasn't hurt when he left and said he didn't shoot the victim, charges read. 

Suspect had mental health issues, coworkers say

A Post Office employee described Getachew as "weird" and having mental health issues. The employee noted Getachew sometimes refused to do his job and would argue with his supervisor. 

Getachew began working at the Post Office on Feb. 24, 2024. He had every Thursday off so he could attend appointments related to his mental health, the facility manager told police, according to the complaint. 

The victim's wife told police the victim was concerned about a male employee at work, with the victim telling her the employee sometimes lost packages and refused to deliver packages. The victim told his wife he thought the employee had mental health issues. Getachew fits the description the victim described to his wife, charges said. 

Getachew's neighbors told police he was always drinking and suspected he was an alcoholic. Police learned Getachew continuously spoke of needing a gun and getting a license for one, the complaint reads. 

Getachew admitted to authorities he owns a Glock 23 firearm but didn't know its caliber. He said he has a permit to carry and bought the gun a month ago. He said he keeps the gun in his vehicle when he's at work. Getachew has a permit to carry out of Ramsey County. 

Getachew has a prior gross misdemeanor harassment conviction in Hennepin County in which he told a witness that the owner of the business where he worked should be killed, and Getachew dragged his finger across his neck. He said it'd be good for business if the owner was killed, and he told staff at work he had a permed to buy and carry a gun, the complaint notes. 

Victim is in stable condition

The victim was taken to Regions Hospital in critical condition, with "what appeared to be at least five gunshot wounds to his body, mostly to his back," the complaint said. 

He is now "miraculously in stable condition," charges state. 

He's expected to undergo another surgery on Oct. 15.

What's next

Getachew's first court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday morning.

A motive for the shooting wasn't detailed in the criminal complaint.