Prosecutors say a tenant shot three leasing-office workers after he was told he could not cancel a newly renewed parking contract.
Story Snapshot
- Prosecutors charged Tsegaab A. Binessu with three counts of second-degree murder.
- Court filings say he went to the office after a parking contract dispute and opened fire.
- The complaint says surveillance video captured the killings and labels them “executions”.
- Police arrested Binessu in Virginia, Minnesota, after naming him as the suspect.
What prosecutors say happened inside the leasing office
Ramsey County prosecutors charged 30-year-old Tsegaab A. Binessu with three counts of second-degree murder after three employees were shot inside a St. Paul apartment leasing office. Charging documents say he argued over a parking garage contract he had just renewed.
Staff told him he could not cancel it. The complaint says he then went to the leasing office and began shooting, killing three workers at close range. The filing calls the killings “executions,” a term meant to describe intent.
The victims were identified by local reports as Nansi G. Fuentes Zambrano, Dena M. Silcox, and Adam J. Wilwerding. The office sits on St. Paul Avenue at the Davern Park Apartments complex. Police said officers arrived within minutes after 4 p.m. to a chaotic scene.
Paramedics could not save the victims. The apartment community locked down as detectives collected shell casings, pulled video, and began interviews with staff and residents in the buildings nearby.
Disgruntled tenant ‘executed’ 3 leasing office workers over parking garage dispute, police say https://t.co/CdYT7wDnLr
— Live5News (@Live5News) July 22, 2026
How investigators tied a suspect to the scene
The criminal complaint says security video captured the shooting. Detectives reviewed the footage and matched clothing and timing to witness accounts. The complaint also says Binessu later told his roommate he killed the three workers. Police identified him as the suspect and issued an alert.
St. Louis County deputies arrested him overnight in Virginia, Minnesota, and held him for Ramsey County on probable cause for murder. He was later booked into jail and charged with three counts of second-degree murder with intent, not premeditated.
Reporters who viewed the filings say the sequence is tight: a dispute over the renewed parking contract, a refusal to cancel, a trip to the leasing office, and then gunfire. That chain of events, if proven, points to an intentional act tied to a specific grievance.
It does not answer every legal question that will matter at trial, like premeditation, mental state, or any claim of provocation. Those will be tested by defense counsel and the court record in the weeks ahead.
Why a parking fight can boil over
Housing rules can set hard lines that frustrate both tenants and managers. Minnesota law outlines when tenants can end leases early, such as for safety from violence, and it sets strict steps for any removal of tenants. Managers cannot force someone out without a court order.
These guardrails reduce abuse, but they also create friction when a resident wants out and the contract says no. That tension explains how a parking dispute can escalate, though almost never to deadly violence.
Prosecutors have charged a Saint Paul man with three counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths of three people inside the leasing office of a Highland Park apartment complex, a killing they say followed a dispute over a parking-garage contract.
Tsegaab Ademassu… pic.twitter.com/uc4sj4tHRc
— MN CRIME (@MN_CRIME) July 21, 2026
Coverage of homicide often locks onto a quick motive and a simple line: a parking fight led to murder. The public wants answers, fast. But the best test of facts comes from the complaint, body camera video, lab work, and sworn testimony, not from headlines.
The record so far lays out a stark story: clear charges, specific acts, a named suspect in custody, and video the state says shows the crime.
What the charges signal about intent and accountability
The counts are second-degree murder with intent, which means prosecutors allege he meant to kill but did not plan it long in advance. Some voices online call for first-degree charges, saying a trip to the office shows planning.
Prosecutors have to match charges to evidence they can prove. If more proof of planning appears, charges can change. For now, the state’s theory is focused and strong on identity and intent, supported by video and an alleged confession.
What comes next for the case and the community
Next steps include a first court appearance, discovery, and possible motions about the video and any confession. Defense lawyers may contest how statements were taken and how the video was handled.
The community will look for a trial date and for calm leadership. Common sense says rules matter, contracts matter, and human life matters most. A civil dispute belongs at a desk or in small claims court, never at gunpoint. Justice now moves to the courtroom, where facts rule.
Sources:
krocnews.com, mprnews.org, facebook.com, youtube.com, cbsnews.com, mncrime.com, ag.state.mn.us
