St. Paul's Jimmy Lee rec center remains closed after shooting

St. Paul rec center employee charged with shooting teen

Following a fight that led to a shooting at the Jimmy Lee Rec Center in St. Paul, St. Paul Police have filed charges against who they believe to be responsible. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the latest.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - After police say a teen boy was shot in the head by a city employee at a St. Paul rec center, the city says the rec center will remain closed for the time being as the parks and rec department moves to fire the worker.

Twenty-six-year-old Exavir Dwayne Binford Jr., who officials say worked at the rec center, was charged on Friday for the shooting of the 16-year-old boy in the building's parking lot.

As of Friday, the boy was in the ICU at Regions Hospital after emergency neurosurgery. According to the charges, Binford shot the boy after the teen got into a fight with another teen.

In a message on Sunday, St. Paul Parks and Recreation said they are currently looking to end Binford's employment at the rec center. In the meantime, the center remains closed.

"We are committed to providing safe facilities and positive experiences, and we are devastated that something completely counter to our mission occurred at one of our spaces," a statement reads. "We are dedicated to supporting all who are impacted by this tragedy and are taking the necessary steps to ensure something like this never occurs again."