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Neighbors say the good Samaritan who was shot to death in St. Paul Monday evening was the father of four young children. 

Maya, who didn’t want her last name published, lived next door to Javier Sanmiguel in the city’s Payne-Phalen neighborhood. She said Sanmiguel, 31, who worked as an interpreter, rushed outside to help after a multi-vehicle crash on the street in front of his house. Then, she says, one of the drivers opened fire and killed Sanmiguel.

Bloody nine hours in St. Paul leaves three dead

"Javier was a man of faith. He was a family man of four children, young, all seven and under of age. He and Kayla had a beautiful marriage. They were great people,” said Maya.

 fatal shooting in her neighborhood in the last 4 years. 

She said she was sitting on the couch after dinner when she heard a vehicle crash. She’s a medical assistant who knows CPR, and also rushed outside to try to help. She saw numerous vehicles involved in the crash and ran back inside to get her husband to help. They met Sanmiguel outside his vehicle, which was also damaged.

Maya said the three of them went to check on whether anyone was injured. She said the driver of one of the vehicles was crouched in the hatch of his car, and when they went to open the hatch, the man opened fire. 

She said police were on the scene within 5 minutes of the shooting.

"Something has got to turn around. And the mayor can not cut the police force right now in St. Paul. We beg him not to do that. We need more police, not less with crimes like this committed. It's not gonna stop,” said Maya. 

Don't cut officers 

She said Sanmiguel had been going to town meetings to try to improve their neighborhood.

"Javier was a man who believed in God, had true faith. He wanted to change the neighborhood's direction,” said Maya. “A very caring guy. Would have given the shirt off his back to people. Very family man. So it's a huge loss right now."

Police say Sanmiguel was pronounced dead at the scene, close to the intersection of Edgerton Street and Case Avenue. 

They say they've arrested an adult male suspect in the shooting.

Crime, Law and Justice

Elizabeth Shockman

Author

A neighbor says Javier Sanmiguel rushed outside to help after a multi-vehicle crash on the street in front of his house. One of the drivers then opened fire and killed Sanmiguel.   

A man, woman and three children pose for a photograph. 

Via GoFundMe

A woman wearing scrubs stands in the front yard of a house.

Christine T. Nguyen | MPR News

A car is parked along the street in a neighborhood. 

Good Samaritan shot to death in St. Paul was father of four young children

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