Minn. dad shot dead while trying to prevent theft of wife’s car

A Minnesota dad was fatally shot in his front yard as he tried to prevent someone from breaking into his wife’s car – and she desperately attempted to save his life with CPR in front of their kids to no avail.

Michael Brasel, 44, a father of two boys and beloved youth hockey coach from St. Paul, was gunned down at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday in front of his home in the quiet St. Anthony Park neighborhood, the Star Tribune reported.

Officers responding to a 911 call found the mortally wounded Brasel on Chilcombe Avenue.

He was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center about 30 minutes later from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster said he was apparently shot while interrupting a crime in progress.

The suspected gunman remains on the loose.

Brasel’s wife of 23 years, Hilary, shared a heart-rending post on Facebook about the devastating loss, saying he “was tragically shot in our front yard after confronting someone trying to break into my car.

“Ever the protector and good man he stood up for me with his last effort and breath,” she wrote.

“Never thought I would wake up to 3 gunshots all of which hit Michael in the chest. Never thought I would have to try to revive my husband with CPR while my boys are calling 911 and watched,” Hilary continued.

She said police obtained DNA samples from their boys to help investigators locate the right forensic evidence in her car.

The grieving widow described Brasel to her followers.

“He had the best sense of humor, giant love for his boys, and ever giving spirit to help out those around him,” she wrote. “He loved to coach hockey for both the Roseville and Langford Park Youth Hockey Programs over the past 7 years.

“He love music, art and was forever being the silly one to help us all forget our problems and fears. He was one in a million and I have no idea how to do this life without him,” Hilary added.

In a follow-up post, she thanked people for the outpouring of support.

“I am so grateful to individuals who have reached out with offers of help us to navigate new worlds we knew nothing about until this tragedy landed on our door step,” she wrote.

Hilary also described her husband’s job as a residential carpenter in St. Paul and Minneapolis with Golliker Construction.

“Outside of work he loved to make art and used so much of his illustration degree from Minneapolis College of Art and design to create logos, posters, portraits, and most of all screen prints,” she wrote.

“He loved vintage cars, going to car shows, and anything about automotive design. He loved all kinds of music and going to live music shows and multiple venues here in the twin cities,” Hilary added.

She urged anyone with information about the senseless crime to come forward.

“We are grieving the loss of Michael’s life in the here and now, but also for all the future moments and milestones that he will never be able to do with those he loved most,” she wrote.

”His children and family deserve closure. Michael deserves justice for the life that he was robbed of,” Hilary said.

Ernster, the police spokesman, told the Star Tribune that the shooting was “very unusual for the neighborhood. … We want to know the facts just as much as our community, but that work takes time … if anybody knows anything about this crime, we would encourage them to call investigators.”

A GoFundMe page for the family has raised over $185,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.

Anyone with information, including surveillance video, is asked to call St. Paul police at 651-266-5650.