Hey, did you see anything? >> Got shot in his neck or in his head or something. Hey, >> stop. >> On May 20th, 2022, just after 4:00 a.m., St. Paul and Metro Transit police responded to a 911 call reporting gunshots and a man on the Green Line station platform, badly wounded, but still moving. >> 911, where is your emergency? >> Somebody just got shot on uh on uh trans on transit. He's on uh on on station. He's at the train, sir. He's on the uh >> Is he on the Is he on the train? >> Yeah. No, he's on >> he's on the platform. >> He's on the platform. >> All right. Just one moment. I'm going to get uh Metro Transit on the line. >> Babe, no. We can't go out there, babe. I need I need you guys to send an ambulance and and and and the police to uh to the to the can center on uh 6. And the guy on the eastbound uh on the eastbound platform that just got shot. >> That's inapolis, correct? >> No, we're in St. Paul. >> You're in St. Paul. Okay. >> Yeah. All right. >> Please hurry. >> Okay. >> You don't need to go out there. >> Who is it that Do you know this person? >> I don't know him. I'm I'm looking out my window and and and and I just heard a gunshot. >> Okay. Well, how do you know that heard it? >> Because I'm looking at the guy laying on the platform. >> Oh, I understand. >> And the other guy that shot him ran away. We need to get an ambulance here on six and on six and right now. We're working on it. >> Hey Hey. Hey. Did you see anything? >> Our coverage is made possible by Morgan and Morgan. If you've been seriously hurt, your injury could be worth millions. And you might never know unless you fight for real justice. Many insurance companies offer less. A lot less than you deserve. But Morgan and Morgan doesn't settle for lowball payouts. They fight to get what victims truly deserve. Just in the last few months, a $12 million verdict in Florida was 34 times more than the top insurance offer. and another $26 million case in Philadelphia paid out more than 40 times higher. The team at Morgan and Morgan is ready to help. With over 1,000 attorneys operating in all 50 states, you can check if you have a case right now, even from your phone, in just minutes. And their fee, it's absolutely free unless you win. If you ever got seriously injured, your case could be worth millions. You're just a few clicks away from potentially changing your life and getting the justice you deserve. You can go to forthepeople.com/midwest crime found in the description or by scanning the QR code on screen from your phone's camera. >> Did he get Did you hear shots? >> Yeah. >> 54. My guys critical CPR. >> Suspect is a black male, white sweater, black pants, white shoes. 0432. >> Get back. Get back. >> So we can take over if need be. >> He runs off the platform and towards the bus >> up there. Suspect's up there. Going up the hill towards the description. >> Description that >> black male, white sweatshirt, white shoes, dark pants. >> Black male, white sweatshirt. >> White sweatshirt. >> Yeah, black mill, white sweater on your internal. >> Despite officers efforts to save him, 37year-old Dmitri Ellis Strong was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner later confirmed he had suffered six gunshot wounds with his death caused by massive blood loss. As that grim reality set in, officers turned to witnesses trying to piece together what had just unfolded. >> The last thing was your brain. I mean the first thing your brain got your heart the last thing going out. That mean he must have got shot in his neck or his head or something. So you know how fast the hospital came when he came. >> Y was here like this wasn't here. >> Yeah. But I understand when you can murder, right? >> What you say he got hit in? >> If he dead, they can't touch the homicide. >> I'm talking about I'm talking about >> I'm lying. No, >> I'm not saying we lying, bro. I'm saying he must got shot in his head because if he just died right there, he didn't he didn't get to the hospital or nothing like that. You know what I'm saying? He must have been shot over a phone number. >> A phone number. >> Yeah. Dude was like, "You got B number. You ain't have to give me You ain't have to laugh to me about the number." It was like, "Man, I ain't have to do." He was like, "You ain't have to do nothing. Why you love me?" Like, "Oh." He like, "Come around here." Dude on white coke came around like that. And when he came around like that, dude walked up and dude went see you like shoot him right here. All you heard. >> Investigators combed through surveillance cameras in the area piecing together the events of that early morning. One clip shows a man arriving at the Green Line station in downtown St. Paul. A few minutes later, two men, Dion Dawson and Shawn Michael Tilman, walk onto the platform. The atmosphere shifts as the two groups exchange tense words and gestures. Dawson eventually crosses the tracks to briefly speak with Dimmitri while Tilman lingers back, eyes fixed on his target. Moments later, Tilman moves back across the tracks to the other platform. In an instant, he raises a handgun and opens fire. Tilman moves closer, fires two more shots at the victim, and runs away. Surveillance cameras captured Tilman as he fled through nearby streets. Unaware he's left his mask behind, a mistake that would become powerful forensic evidence. As the search for Tilman continued, investigators brought in Dawson for questioning, hoping he could lead them to their suspect's whereabouts. >> How you doing, man? Crazy morning, right? Uh, crazy work, crazy life, crazy year. What are you doing? It's getting better, right? I don't know. Just worse by the day, you know? Let me clean things. I'm >> Paul. What's up, Paul? Sam. >> Sam. So, you're beyond Dolphin. >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. Let me give you that. >> What do you tell me what happened this morning? >> What? >> Well, God placed me in another uh devastating situation. I don't know. Uh what do you want to know? What's >> I want to know everything that you know from the time you woke up. >> Okay. I didn't I haven't went to sleep. So, um, so you woke up long night >> when did you last wake up? >> It's a long story. I don't know. >> Go back as far as >> far as you can remember since you've been. >> So, so how do you even end up over there? Boom. Boom. Boom. I know people from around, bro. Just by, you know, uh, conversation and blah blah blah. Um, right now I'm on the streets, so it's easy to run into things. Um, I ran into a guy, don't know his name. Um, but I know him from just being around in the areas. We kind of pass by. We have conversations and stuff. Good dude, you know. And he was having a problem this night, this past night. and we chilled out. He was talking about things that he was going through and stuff. Good opening up. You know what I'm saying? Sometimes you just need somebody to hear you. You know, >> I know very well. I've been there, done that. >> And uh and one thing turned into another. We went downtown. That's why y'all even see me. I'm on the road. Bad. >> Yeah. Hi. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, and mind you, somewhere across the way, I know another brother across the way. Still don't know his name either. >> Okay. Is this the guy who shot? >> Who? What? >> The guy who shot. Is this the other guy that you're talking about? >> Um, >> or is this just him? >> Well, >> how much you talk? >> So, I crossed the the tracks, went over to the other side. >> That's because he must have had a problem with them. They know each other from the county or something. That was said now. So I took two steps back. I don't know what's going on over here >> and he came around. Boom. I moved around. Went back to the other side down. And I'm in awe at this point. Like, okay, this could have got solved in a whole another different way. >> Sure. >> Now somebody's dead. >> Mhm. and I'm involved somehow. Um, yeah. Well, you're you're helping us out because you're you're you're filling in the puzzle pieces for us because I mean, we have a little blip. Video is nice, right? It shows us a picture, but it doesn't tell us what happened, right? So, you're hanging out with him for a little while. What What did you call him when you're hanging out by name? >> Yeah. Well, I mean, like, what do I mean? If I call him Paul, he calls me Sam. What do you call this guy? another dude off the block like never really never really been on a name to name. I don't even tell people my name and if they do have a name for me, it's not mine. >> Correct. But I mean like people call you D or you know street name. >> But if I wake up and want to call myself whoever I want to call myself, >> cuz I don't I don't know these people. Like I don't hang out with people. I'm not real I'm a people person but I'm not really social. Like I hate humans, but I'm a people person. It's backwards as but uh it keeps me out of trouble and that's why I don't hang around. It's really just what's up. I was like boom boom bam real keep it pushing with this situation. Um yeah, I don't know his name. I never I've never had a name. >> That's fine. And >> what when you guys were hanging out, what were you guys talking about? He was talking about he was more or less just trying to speak on his little issues that we was having in life like just regular issues that people go through. You know what I'm saying? And and like like you know just small nids and I was you know and I try to get them to it. >> Do you remember anything anything specific? >> Yeah. women problems and normal normal men [ __ ] Like it wasn't to the point that I knew I knew he was trying to catch it and he was kind of losing it. Like you know what I'm saying? But with my help, you know, and my energy, bro, I you good, bro. You know what I'm saying? Stay up. Keep your head up. You know what I'm saying? Much love. Much energy. That's what I give off. Much love. Much energy. Even if I had a bad day, I come out with a smile >> cuz it fixes other people's days and lives. You don't know what people are going through. >> And that's how that situation happened. >> Conversation went too far. >> Okay. What was the conversation over >> and that that's what like I said, they knew each other from the county or something. That's what I heard over conversation. >> Your your son mentioned about the county. >> Yeah. Okay. Knowing each other in general and stuff other names being called. How long have you known this the guy that you were? >> I don't know. I like I say I stay by myself. >> Yeah, but we ran past each other had conversation and you know was this like 2 3 years. Two years. I'll say two years. Not full two years. Just like pieces and >> correct. >> You know what I'm saying? >> Yep. Yeah. See >> the earliest time back that you can think of seeing that guy is like two three years. >> Not even three. Okay. Say I can say two. >> Two. >> Where do you usually run into him, man? >> And we run. So we run into each other like randomly. It it was mostly like u mostly by like smelling a university type. What's what's up in that area that that he would go to? >> What you mean? >> Like why do you why is Snelling University an area that you would usually run into? Man, >> what's there? >> It's a well CVS. There's many many places, bar, right? >> There's the Walmart there. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm I'm aware like this is a business kind of stuff, but I mean, does does he live around there? >> We're not close like that. I don't get close to people. Mind my business. Show my respects. Keep it pushing. I don't know where he lives. I was living in the area at that time. That's why I would run into him. I was living on um in Highland. So I would come down slowly. Okay, let's go to work. >> Take the A-line up there. >> A-ine. >> So when when you guys went and hung out, where did you guys go last night? So when you were coming down the hill, where did where were you guys coming from? >> Coming down the hill. So where were we at? We were by uh what hospitals over here? Cuz I ran into him random. Like you know what I'm saying? blah bro starts talking stuff and he was just he was just letting some go like you know like just honest like I I couldn't have counted this happening from miles away >> and usually I know energy like that but I know the energy when it collided but it was too late there I moved away from the situation >> because I some you know what I'm saying so But like it's it's cleancut. It's clean cut. It happened, bro. It could have been avoided. Like there's nothing nobody could do. So like you I can tell like you're saying like you're a little off when you the guy when you ran into him up by the hospital, but I'm assuming it was St. Joseph's. That's the one right behind Dorothy Day Cathedral. Right down there. Okay. So, um, when you were running into him and you could tell he's a little bit off. He's kind of saying some stuff that you're kind of like you're saying. >> I'm trying to give you some good vibes here because you're >> Yeah. But he was just It wasn't like off. It was just real. It was He was saying what he was going through. Like people have problems. >> So, more of a hurting than a than an actual like I'm not I'm not all there right now. >> Just everything in a bundle. You know what I'm saying? He's just trying to figure it out, bro. like and me being go easy, you know what I'm saying? Cool. My I I converse with with people that have issues and problems. Not that I could solve them, but sometimes you just got to get it off, bro. And that was that. And then it tripled into something else. So, how long did you walk her home and talk? Would you say >> just regular conversations, man? He was going through some things. She was laying some off. >> It's clean cut, bro. >> The conversation wouldn't have linked to what happened. >> Correct. And I'm not I'm not saying it. >> I'm just letting it be known. >> We're trying to figure out who he is. That's what we're looking at. >> Well, it's your job. Um I mean, just to be super clear, you're not in any kind of trouble whatsoever. I don't know, >> right? >> I'm not out of here yet. That was Yeah. You're not now. And that was our doing, right? We made sure that you weren't in handcuffs. You're not under arrest. >> You're not going to be under arrest. >> Okay. >> And that was why I was the one that popped in to check when we were downtown cuz I didn't know who had been checking on you yet. >> I was busy dealing with the body, all the other stuff. And then someone said that you were still down there in the car, and I was like, "Has anybody checked down?" And I went over, coughed in on you. So, >> um, you're completely helping us here. >> That's and and and it is our job to figure it out. But any help that you can give us, like >> we we need your help. >> If he said, you know, that that, you know, he's having girl problems that, you know, Ashley or that, you know, whatever was it, those little >> correct, but those little things like that >> can help us to figure out who he is because, like I said, someone's dead, though. >> Cuz that's what I'm saying. So everything was just it was never to that level of it was more of a snap thing like just a moment like cuz we in conversation it was just like like I said like normal we all go through things and you let it off differently some people let it off differently some people don't let it off that'll kill you I know that very well and it was just norm it was just normal normal he's like going through his school trying to figure about what he's going through type to a real one like me. You know what I'm saying? I hope the youth, you know what I'm saying? I'm outside. I'll be where where that just happened. I don't even like to talk about cuz it's still brand new. >> Where that just happened, like that's where I'll be down there helping the youth down there with the with the green shirts and the orange shirts and bringing people together and stuff. So like, man, this is a crazy world, bro. And I was I just end up in the wrong places at the wrong times. I don't know if God want me to be there or I shouldn't have been there, but how the [ __ ] I don't know. So, you know Smokey then, too? >> Gross. >> Huh? >> Gross. [Music] >> Not Not on the same level. >> No, because I reason I bring that up. Smokey always hangs out there. Have to deal with all the time. They're all lost, bro. They're lost beings, bro. >> So, just again, knowing that you're you're not in any kind of trouble. You won't be in trouble. None of that business, right? >> Just just help. >> We we need your help. We need to know anything that you know about this guy. And you mostly got it is 2 years of basically 10 two years of knowing each other. Not really knowing each other though. I don't even know his name. You don't know my name. It's just always been like, you know, the cordial like now we see each other multip Hey, what's up, bro? What you what you doing? You know what I'm saying? Oh, man. Do >> you always run into them somewhere different or is it usually around the same area? >> It's usually around the same areas. >> I haven't seen him in a minute. >> Which area is that? >> I told you around or or downtown. >> Okay. That's even recently. >> Even recently. No, recently things have shifted in St. Paul like like a lot of St. Paul in Minneapolis. Minneapolis are in St. Paul's and everything is backwards. So I just try to stay the far as away as I can. >> You know what I'm saying? So with that being said, like recently everything's been backwards. I don't know's going on and I don't want to know. Keep it all the way 100. Like I ain't got nothing to keep from you. Like man, this just happened, bro. like just a snap. >> Yep. >> And that's how happens. >> Yep. >> Life life, man, is not promised, bro. I got known to life a long time ago. >> I haven't I haven't watched any of the video on the the incident, but how far away were you from when the when the shots? >> Yeah, I don't see on the camera. >> Correct. But I don't have the I don't have it right here right now. I mean, it's not like I'm just wondering how far away you were. >> Hey, too close. too close cuz all the only view I've seen is him shoot him. >> I stepped away already. >> Yeah. >> When I saw when I saw it hit the corner >> cuz it wasn't quick. You heard that, right? It was pop pop pop and then couple seconds and then pop pop. Right. Crazy. That's Hey, F. I bet you could hear him pleading for his life, too, because he had his hands up. He was asking that guy not to shoot him >> and he came up and he freaking shot. But what he did do was he put himself in that situation. Nobody deserves to be murdered. >> Correct. >> But words play in too. >> What was he What was he? >> He was just trying to be tough, bro. to get you hurt, especially talking to somebody that that's really actually going through things, bro. Like, anything it could have been handled in a whole lot of different ways. And his he had his backpack talking about if I if I if I had it on me, I would do this and like, bro, you already see he's clutching and you don't want to do that. not even told them don't do that. Went back across. We hit the corner. I already know. And bullets don't got no name. If you air it out right here cuz anybody in the head >> I don't know. Look, I hopped over the fence. Went probably to the other side. >> Where did Where did you go after this happened? >> That's a good question. I went blank for a second when it happened. >> Where do you remember ending up? I I didn't go far. I was still in the same block. That's why I'm here. >> Yeah. You didn't you didn't run into him again after this, right? >> No. >> At all. I'm just asking the question. >> And and and here's the thing. So, like you guys come down the hill. So, the reason I'm asking you where you came from and all that stuff is cuz you came down the hill with them, right? >> Yeah. >> And when you guys come down the hill, you guys take that path. You're on the south side of Fifth Street walking from Wabasha. You cross Cedar. You guys come up onto the platform together and then you guys both go down the platform and then that's the last view I have of you on that camera because I get called out and I didn't have time to look at all the cameras. But then I see him come back by himself and that's must be when they're yelling across the platform right >> and now so look to fix that picture for you. Sure. So the platforms one side one side there's the thing over there we we came from this side they were over there in the group on that side but I know I don't know I don't know the other dude's name either but I just know him from being outside cool dude you know whatever what's up bro and I can see it in his eyes he already had tension whatever he acting what's up they talking back and forth you know you know meah that's where I When he came back around by himself, I was hopping over to the other side cuz I knew he was coming and I don't know how this going to play out. >> And you can't remember what he's telling him when he's the you remember. >> Yeah. Any I gave you the basics. They knew each other from >> And I know you're giving me the basics, but I'm asking you to give me anything that you can remember. >> Bro, it's it's fastpaced thinking. You can't >> And I get that. And I'm not I'm not seeing you're lying to me or anything like that. >> I'm not saying that. I'm saying that in the time period of that happening to be listening to people's words, I'm watching movement. >> Correct. >> At that point, I'm watching. You know what I'm saying? Now I got to watch out for me. I'm gone. The conversation is already going left and it's just you. Yeah. Could have been avoided. Could have farted out. >> Mhm. >> Could have went a lot of ways, but here we are. >> Yep. That's the way it went down though. >> [ __ ] >> So, so when he gets done after the shooting, he runs right back up that south side of Wobbash back up the hill. Do you have any idea where he would have been going? >> Hell no. I was trying to get away from every >> I know that you're trying to get away from it. I'm just wondering if from your contacts with him if you if there's anything up to that would lead you to to jar your memory of, oh, you know, he might have gone over here or something like that. >> Okay. Cuz like I said, you asked me if I I seen him recently and and like the time period boom boom. Like I haven't really seen him. >> Yeah. >> And then that was like just that random day. Random night. >> When was the last So not counting within the last 24 hours. When was the last time you saw him? Would you say? >> Last 24 hours. >> Yeah. Not counting the last 24 hours. >> Not counting the last. >> When was the last time you saw him? >> Last time I seen him. When I was when I was living in Highland. >> Up in Highland. >> Yep. >> Which was how long ago? >> That was maybe just a couple months ago. Okay. >> Anything else that you can remember about this kid or anything specific that these two were saying to each other when they're judging? >> Uh man, I just tapped into some more of like conversations we was having cuz none of it was going in that direction. Yeah, that's mindblowing, bro. Like it was more just about jail talk cuz it was just it was like they already had that tension. It didn't just it wasn't random. You know what I'm saying? >> Yeah. They they knew each other. >> Yeah. >> Specifically from And you think it's from the jail? >> Well, that's that's that's what dude said out of his mouth. He said he said, "You know, we know each other." >> The dead dude or the shooter? >> Dead dude. >> Dead dude said, "You know, we know each other. >> You we know each other from the county." What you >> Bro, didn't need to happen, bro. It could have been a lot more simpler, but I was talking about this all day. Life is simple cuz humans make it complicated. >> You think this guy went downtown with the intention to to kill this guy? >> No. You think you went down there with the intention to shoot him? >> No. I mean, he But but like who am I to say with >> I'm just I'm just saying based on your interaction with him. >> That's what I'm saying. The conversation never led to something of that much like you know pressure because if I'm with somebody that has enemies and I it'll be cool or something like but we just cool like you know what I'm saying? I'm not about to be around you. You know what I'm saying? That's your issues. I'm not I don't know how to move right bro. I move smart and this nah like but obviously the intentions were already there in both bodies of hurt or pain or whatever it was and for whatever it was over I don't know what happened in the county I don't I did my first 24 hours not too long ago in Ramsey >> 24 hours I did the fed baby >> pretty quick >> yeah cuz they released me cuz they paid me and Yeah. Yeah. While I'm shackled handcuffs, huh? Yeah. Okay. I was going to sit for my time. Yeah. I saw the officer. He was being a tough guy. >> Okay. Anybody can be touched. If you can be touchable, you know what I'm saying? You're in my bubble. You're being tough. I pay your taxes. Treat you like a bully, bro. Like, anyways, which I shouldn't be doing cuz people get killed for nothing. But, you know, you don't know any kind of street name that this guy goes by or anything? >> I do not. Never called them anything other than bro or cuz or anything. Okay. Hey, man. Hey. But >> never exchanged names or street name or anything at all. >> Nope. Oh, he don't even know my name. We didn't need it. It was just conversation. You know what I'm saying? Oh, sorry, bro. >> Cuz I'm really Yeah. >> Do you want to get it to us? >> Well, here we go. >> You said no. I just I'm saying what what he's saying is if you remember something, would you would you tell us if you remember? There's nothing that can I'm not keeping nothing out. This was not supposed to happen. These these are two brothers. You know what I'm saying? That that shouldn't be C shouldn't be dead. He shouldn't be going. But things already happened. Don't know the man's name. Things that I think you should know. Let me gather it up. Like I think I told you everything. Everything. I ain't keeping nothing wrong, bro. What you got in there? >> I got a couple pictures of the guy, but you said you don't know who he is anyways, right? >> By name. >> By name. Okay. >> Make sure that that's >> sure that that's the guy that the guy we're talking about. >> Oh, weren't we together on the same day? And my picture's in there, too? >> I No. >> So, this is the guy who shot him. That's who we've been talking about this whole time, right? Just so that we're clear. >> I hear you. >> I did my part. >> And you don't know who you don't know his name, right? That's what I say, right? >> All right. All right. >> Even though investigators got nothing from Dawson about Tilman's location, within 24 hours, they traced his movements. An officer soon spotted him near a liquor store on the 400 block of University Avenue in St. Paul. >> All right. 229. He has a black hoodie. He has a black sweatshirt with the gray hoodie. Black pants. White and black Nikes. He's going eastbound. Uni from Arundle. Walking on foot. >> 206 responding. Once you get in the area, hear your lights and sirens. >> Lights and sirens once you're in the area. >> Hey, stop. All right. He's running northbound on the run from the university. All right. He's going uh eastbound on Sherburn from a rund. Stop. police. All right, guys. I need a perimeter. Let's do northbound to Thomas. University is our southern border. Western Avenue is our eastern border. And then let's go to McCubbin for the western border. Transit 229. Glassing northbound through the yards from Sherburn between Western and the next street west of Western. Copy. So, it's going to be northbound through the yards from Sherurn between Western and the street. West of Western will be a Rundle. >> Our Fern, let's keep this border set up. He's in here somewhere in this grid. Keep Thomas as our northern border. >> After a brief foot chase, officers arrested Tilman nearby, recovering clothing, a face mask, and other items he tossed. On March 25th, 2024, after a two-week trial, a Ramsey County jury found Shawn Michael Tilman guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, secondderee intentional murder, and possession of a firearm by an ineligible person. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole alongside a concurrent 5-year sentence for the firearm charge. For exclusive clips and behindthe-scenes content, join us on patreon.com/midwest crime.