Flickr.com image, not an actual photo from the scene
Peter Teachout called me with his firsthand account. I've asked him to email me the details, but here is what I recall from our phone conversation...
There were some individuals, including two black males, near 3116 6th Street North. They were having some kind of verbal dispute.
(Address is unconfirmed. Me and Peter put our heads together to figure out the street address, but I'm only about 80 percent sure it's the right one)
Peter was keeping an eye on the situation, not overly alarmed, but just monitoring in case things escalated. Then things escalated. One of the males got into a vehicle. I think Peter said "white conversion van" but I'm not sure. I do recall he said something about a "van."
The vehicle was not parked on the street, but close to the property. The male in the vehicle backed it up, quickly, then went forward...running down the other male at a speed Peter estimated at 30 miles per hour.
Peter called 911. The vehicle circled the block, going back to observe the results of the impact before taking off. As Peter was talking to the 911 operator, the neighbor I call "Little Jane" ran over and provided Peter with the license plate number.
The people who were with the victim bent over him. I asked Peter if he could see the guy moving, or see blood or anything like that. Peter said he couldn't really see anything, but he sure didn't see the guy get up. Police and a paramedic unit were there within about five minutes. Peter had to get to work and couldn't stay to see an ambulance arrive.
I'll write more when I know more. I did make a point of calling my favorite "Cops and Courts" reporter at the Star Tribune. If there is outrageous crime and violence on the block, we need media attention and my little blog isn't sufficient.
Only a couple days ago I was talking to somebody at Keller Williams who is trying to sell that house. (And I emphasize I have not confirmed, 100 percent, the address of the incident) He said it's a "short sale" on the mortgage and quoted me a price of $79k. I told him he was nuts.
Later, the actual listing agent called me despite my strong expression of disinterest in the property at that price. He said, "Look, we're trying to do a short sale on a mortgage, and the price is being dropped every day." He urged me to make an offer I felt was fair and offered to arrange a tour of the house. I said I'd get back to him when I completed the sale on my own house at 3016 6th Street North.
I think I need to talk to that real estate agent. I think the price needs to go, like, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down.
UPDATE: The vehicle in question was a big blue van, according to Peter. The address in question is 3118/3116 6th Street North, a white stucco duplex with a Keller Martin real estate sign out front. Today (Sunday, July 27) I was talking to Peter in front of his house, and we saw a police officer pull up and go inside the address. He wasn't in there long, and nobody came out with him.
My neighbor "Patty Cake" was surprised she didn't read about the incident in other media like the Star Tribune. I told her the media can't report on all the crime, so they probably prioritize to make sure all the murders get covered.
It is my assumption the victim of the assault lived. I believe that for this reason: there was no crime scene tape at the scene. I figure if somebody died, the Homicide Unit would block off the area with yellow tape. (But I could be wrong)
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