HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 11-09 Shooter knew victim in Maplewood home invasion slaying, police say PIONEER PRESS 11/9/2015 Shooter knew victim in Maplewood home invasion slaying,police say-TwinCities.com
Shooter knew victim in Maplewood home invasion slaying,police say
Updated:11/09/2015 07:32:26 AM CST Twi n Cit ie s.co m
Shooter knew victim in Maplewood home invasion slaying, police say
Maplewood Police said Sunday that the suspect who shot a 31-year-0Id father dead in an early moming home invasion knew the victim,
identified Sunday as Justin Niles Wright.
"It was pretty clear based on words exchanged between the two before the shooting that they knew each other. There is some connection
between the shooter and the victim.This is not a random shooting," Maplewood Police Chief Paul Schnell said.
Police say the suspect broke into the home through a back door and confronted Wright in a hallway of the home where he was shot in his
upper body and later pronounced dead.
WrighYs girlfriend was also home in the 2200 block of Hazel Street at the time of the early-moming break-in, but was not injured, police said.
She wrote this on Facebook on Sunday:
"Just knowjustin wright, I held u til u took your last breath. I loved you like I've never loved anyone else. U are my love&friend til the end of
time."
The man's two children were away from the home at a sleepover at the time. They are staying with relatives, Schnell said.
Justin was"kind of quieY'and lived in the home with his two daughters and his girlfriend,said next{Joor neighbor Carl Quist. "They were a nice
family."
Quist said Justin rented the home and had been there for a few years. The young couple had the occasional backyard bonfire, Quist said, but
weren't disruptive.
According to Angie's List, Justin Wright had owned Wright Painting & Decorating in Hastings since 2005.
Meanwhile, police continued to track down all leads on Sunday, including whether the victim had any drug connections.
A gun found discarded on a driveway a short distance from the victim's residence was recovered by investigators late Saturday moming and
sent to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension lab to determine whether it was connected to WrighYs shooting.
"This has been a very active investigation,"said Schnell.
"Investigators have established a lengthy list of people they plan to interview who could hold critical information to help in identifying the
suspect,"he added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Maplewood Police Department at 651-767-0640.Anonymous tips can be sent to investigators by
texting the keyword Maplewood followed by the tip information to TIP411 (847411)..