11-year-old boy shot in head in St. Paul, Minnesota; 2 in custody including 13-year-old girl

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Police are investigating after they say an 11-year-old boy was shot in the head on Friday night.

The shooting happened around 9 p.m. on the 800 block of Pierce Butler Route. The 13-year-old suspected shooter was found five minutes away along Charles Avenue, according to police. She was taken into custody.

Wheeler said she was trying to fall asleep Friday night, moments before police said the 11-year-old was shot. 

“It was quiet for a few minutes and then a bunch of loud loud loud noise,” said Wheeler.

Wheeler went over, she said, hoping to quiet down the children with a toy. That’s when she saw the injured boy, his body in the doorway, being held by four other children.

“I held on to him and told him to just be strong,” she said. “Kids should not be playing with guns, they should be playing with dolls.”

Police said the injured 11-year-old was rushed to the hospital. On Saturday, police sent an update that he’s still in critical condition at Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul.

The shooting and emergency response has Wheeler calling for accountability, particularly from parents.

“I just want people to watch their kids, pay attention to them. If they’re acting out and acting violent, check their backpacks, watch your kids, take care of them,” said Wheeler.

Investigators say they’re working to determine what led to the shooting.

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On Saturday afternoon, St. Paul police said they recovered two handguns at an apartment on the 800 block of Pierce Butler Route. A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a firearm and negligent storage of a firearm.