St. Paul Teens Charged In Crime Spree That Ended With Friend's Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Three St. Paul teens face charges ranging from aggravated robbery to car theft for a string of crimes that culminated in the self-defense shooting death of their friend.

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office says 17-year-old Donte Edward Foster and 16-year-old Kendell Anthony Lewis are charged with two counts each of first-degree aggravated robbery, one count of felony motor vehicle theft and a count of reckless discharge of a firearm. Malcolm Golden, 17, was also charged with the same crimes excluding the firearm charge.

The criminal complaint states that Foster stole a silver sedan parked in an alley behind a residence on the 1100 block of East 6th Street in St. Paul on July 30. The owner discovered the car missing hours later, and told police there were two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns inside.

Foster, Lewis, Kendell, 16-year-old Lavauntai Broadbent and a fifth teen went later that night to Monument Park at the Mississippi River bluffs near Summit Avenue and South Mississippi River Boulevard. Foster and Broadbent took turns shooting one of the gun, but Golden did not.

The five teens were then involved in the armed robbery of a man at a bus stop near the Cub Food on Clarence Street on July 31 at about 4:40 a.m. The victim says a male wearing a face mask and wielding a gun – later identified as Broadbent – approached the man and demanded his valuables. Broadbent took his wallet, ATM card and cellphone.

At 10:26 p.m. that same day, the four teens went back to Monument Park, where Broadbent was fatally shot while trying to rob a man. The man told police he was at the park watching the "blue moon" along with a woman he had just met.

One of the teens approached him and asked if he could use his cellphone to call his mom. Broadbent then approached the man while wearing a mask, pointed a gun at him and told him to empty his pockets. The man, who has a conceal-and-carry permit, pulled out his gun and shot Broadbent several times. He said Broadbent's last words were "I dropped the gun."

The woman at the scene called police, who arrived soon after to find the man standing over Broadbent, applying pressure to his gunshot wounds. Broadbent was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators took to Facebook and discovered that Golden had recently posted that "Man Man" – Broadbent's nickname – had been shot. Police located Golden, who told them about Foster and Lewis' involvement.

Lewis was pulled over the next day in the stolen car, which now had new plates. Police found the bus stop robbery victim's stolen property in the car, as well as one of the guns.

Foster later told police he was present with the other three the night Broadbent was killed at Monument Park. He said Broadbent said, "Let's stain them," and, "On SBG, let's do this," before approaching the man and woman.

A memorial service was held for Broadbent at Memorial Park on Aug. 2, during which a white Mercedes crashed into a water fountain and the monuments. Shots were also fired.

Police believe "SBG" refers to the "Shoota Boy Gang," which the teens referenced in social media postings.