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Suspect found not guilty in robbery, death of St. Paul man

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A man suspected of helping to rob and murder a St. Paul man behind his home last year has been acquitted.

Shaun Lamar Travis, 26, was found not guilty Friday for aiding and abetting the murder of 22-year-old Alex Becker. His defense lawyer Robert Plesha declined to comment on the verdict.

Becker was found shot to death yards from his home on Dec. 27, 2022. Travis was arrested months later on suspicion of helping two others to rob and murder Becker. Those suspects, 21-year-old Arteze Kinerd and 19-year-old Detwan Allen, have been charged with second-degree murder.

Opening statements for Allen’s trial were Dec. 7. Kinerd’s trial is set to start Feb. 26.

Travis’ trial began in late October with testimony from Becker’s parents, neighbors and from authorities who responded the night of his murder. Prosecutors said Becker’s murder was senseless, and argued that Travis helped to ensure his death.

Evidence published during the trial sought to prove that, playing footage of Travis’ confession that he was at the murder scene that night with Kinerd and Allen. Becker was walking home from a late shift at work when Travis, Kinerd and Allen passed by in a black sedan. The three got out of the sedan and are seen on security footage following Becker into an alley that leads to his home.

Additional footage captured the sound of gunshots, followed moments later by the black sedan leaving the scene.

When interviewed by police, Travis said he heard the gunshots and was close enough to feel his ears ring — but did not see who fired. Plesha argued during the trial that his client didn’t know the others would rob and kill Becker, explaining that Travis thought they were out to buy marijuana. The shock of the shooting was so much that Plesha said Travis threw up in the car.

“He couldn’t have anticipated what would happen,” Plesha said during opening statements. “It was done suddenly without any provocation”

Becker was shot six times and found with no pulse or breath near his family’s garage. His mother Tara Becker was awake waiting for him to return, crying on the stand as she testified to hearing the gunshots that killed him. She said Alex was a kind person who befriended everyone he knew, adding that he was not known to get into trouble.

On social media, Becker said she was disappointed in Friday’s verdict.

“To say I am disappointed in the judge is a gross understatement. He spoke to Travis as if he was lecturing a young person for skipping school,” Becker’s post said. “I hope Travis takes this enormous gift the judge handed him and starts making efforts to make the world a better place instead of taking good away from the world.”

Allen’s jury trial continues Monday at 9 a.m.



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Satellite images show damage from Israeli attack at 2 secretive Iranian military bases

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Other buildings destroyed at Khojir and Parchin likely included buildings where Iran used industrial mixers to create the solid fuel needed for its extensive ballistic missile arsenal, Eveleth said.

In a statement issued immediately after the attack Saturday, the Israeli military said it targeted ”missile manufacturing facilities used to produce the missiles that Iran fired at the state of Israel over the last year.”

Destroying such sites could greatly disrupt Iran’s ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles to replenish its arsenal after the two attacks on Israel. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which oversees the country’s ballistic missile program, has been silent since Saturday’s attack.

Iran’s overall ballistic missile arsenal, which includes shorter-range missiles unable to reach Israel, was estimated to be ”over 3,000” by Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, then-commander of the U.S. military’s Central Command, in testimony to the U.S. Senate in 2022. In the time since, Iran has fired hundreds of the missiles in a series of attacks.

There have been no videos or photos posted to social media of missile parts or damage in civilian neighborhoods following the recent attack — suggesting that the Israeli strikes were far more accurate that Iran’s ballistic missile barrages targeting Israel in April and October. Israel relied on aircraft-fired missiles during its attack.

However, one factory appeared to have been hit in Shamsabad Industrial City, just south of Tehran near Imam Khomeini International Airport, the country’s main gateway to the outside world. Online videos of the damaged building corresponded to an address for a firm known as TIECO, which advertises itself as building advanced machinery used in Iran’s oil and gas industry.



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This Rochester MN school police officer used to be a narcotics cop

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Some take him up on it and fret when he’s not around.

“It is nice to be missed and be part of the school’s culture,” Arzola said. But mostly, he added, he wants kids to know that police aren’t around just for when the bad stuff happens. He’ll hand out his stickers and bracelets, even a trading card bearing his image. Then, they’ll talk about dogs and family.

School resource officer Al Arzola talks to students in his office at John Adams Middle School in Rochester on Oct. 11. (Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Two months ago, Rochester played host to a three-day training session for new SROs from across the state — an event organized by the Minnesota School Safety Center. On the final day, the 26 officers learned about surveillance challenges at the other school where Arzola works: Dakota Middle School.

It is a beautiful building with a scenic view. There is a lot of glass, too. Arzola, handling the role of instructor and tour guide, took the group outside and noted how one could look straight through the entrance to the large groups that gather inside. There were no curbs in front, either.

“There is nothing stopping any vehicle whatsoever from going through my front doors,” Arzola told the officers. “Law enforcement wasn’t talked to before this building was made. It was kind of like, ‘Here it is. You’re the SRO. Do what you do.’”

He showed them his office, too, which is separate from the main office and near those of other school support staff members. That makes sense, said Jenny Larrive, SRO coordinator for the Minnesota School Safety Center, given than SROs spend more time connecting with youth than on actual law enforcement.



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How Minnesota is recruiting poll workers in a divisive presidential election

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“The basic rule in Minnesota is you cannot preemptively post law enforcement at a polling place,” he said. “A city can’t say, ‘Wow, Precinct Two, there’s a lot of intensity there, let’s just put a cop at the door.’”

Simon doesn’t go deep into the details on security, though. “I don’t want to give a total road map to the bad guys,” he said.

But testimony at the Capitol last year on behalf of the new law bolstering protections for election and polling place workers indicated there’s room for concern. One election worker was followed to her car by an angry voter; the head of elections in another county was called repeatedly on her home phone during off hours, and an official was lunged at by an aggrieved voter, forcing her to call the local sheriff.

Those who violate the law could now face civil damages and penalties of up to $1,000 for each violation.

The Brennan Center survey indicated more than four in 10 election leaders were concerned about recruiting enough poll workers due to threats of harassment and intimidation. This includes doxing — publishing a person’s personal information online in a threatening manner — and swatting, fake emergency calls that result in an armed response being sent to someone’s home.

“Election officials are working to prepare for everything right now,” said Liz Howard, director of partnership engagement at the Brennan Center. “More than 90% of election officials have made improvements to election security since 2020.”



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