On 04/01/2026 at about 0006 hours, St. Paul Police responded to the Nickel Joint Sports Bar at Blair Ave and Mackubin St. On a report of shots fired. Call notes indicated that the caller heard 4-5 shots and then tires squealing. While police were en route, dispatch advised that there were additional callers reporting that 10-15 shots had been fired. Upon arrival, police found (9).40 caliber shell casings in front of the bar on Mackubin St and (7) 9mm casings in front of [ADDRESS REDACTED]. Police also found damaged vehicles, including a Volkswagen parked on Mackubin St that had a flat rear tire and bullet holes and other bullet damage.
A brief review of the bar’s CCTV footage showed one shooter in front of the bar on Mackubin St shooting southeast and a 2nd shooter on the sidewalk in front of [ADDRESS REDACTED] shooting towards the bar and then fleeing between 494 and [ADDRESS REDACTED]. Investigators reviewed the bar’s CCTV footage further (timestamps are about two hours and two seconds behind actual time): At 22:00:04 hours, a black male wearing a green jacket with "Los Angeles" written on the back, blue jeans, and green shoes with white accents approached and confronted a group of men seated at the bar.
This male, “Suspect #1,” then exited the room. Shortly thereafter, one of the males at the bar (“Suspect #2”) put on a black ski mask and left the room. Suspect #2 was wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans, a blue hat, and blue-and-white shoes. Based upon information provided to Investigators by a Confidential Reliable Informant who had been providing police reliable information for about 5 years, Suspect #1 was positively identified as Blackson Rahien CRYER [DOB REDACTED]. Suspect #2 was positively identified as Demarco Lavelle GUNN [DOB REDACTED] by a St. Paul Police Officer who was professionally well acquainted with GUNN from previous law enforcement contacts.
At 22:01:28 hours, the CCTV footage shows CRYER exiting the bar. At 22:01:53 hours, GUNN and several others also exited and confronted CRYER outside. During the confrontation, CRYER removed a firearm from inside his jacket. GUNN was also seen holding an object with his right hand inside the front of his jacket/sweatshirt. At 22:02:41 hours, GUNN walked to the southeast corner of the intersection, while CRYER walked northbound on Mackubin St. At 22:02:53 hours, CRYER was seen shooting at a vehicle that turned west on Blair Ave.
CRYER then moved to the east side of the Nickle Joint and shot towards GUNN’s location. Where GUNN was seen shooting is where Officers recovered the spent.40 caliber shell casings. At 22:02:54 hours, multiple muzzle flashes were seen from where GUNN was standing near [ADDRESS REDACTED]. This is where police found the spent 9mm shell casings. GUNN then ran behind a house. CRYER’s felony conviction history includes 2nd Degree Assault (••-CR-22-••••) and DWI (62-CR-14- 6358). GUNN’s felony conviction history includes Aggravated 1st Degree Robbery (••-CR-20-••••), 2nd Degree Assault (••-CR-15-•••••), and Check Forgery (••-CR-15-••••).
