On December 17, 2025, at 8:58 P.M., Metro Transit Officers responded to Snelling Avenue North & University Avenue West, Saint Paul, County of Ramsey, on an assault case. Officers arrived at the eastbound Snelling LRT station and met LVW. LVW was bleeding from his left nostril. LVW showed officers his stomach where he had a small laceration with minimal bleeding. LVW said he was standing and leaning on the wall inside the shelter on the platform ramp with his headphones on and watching YouTube on his cellphone which was in his right hand.
Someone grabbed at his cellphone. LVW pulled his arm away and held his phone tighter, breaking the person’s grasp. LVW does not know who grabbed at his cellphone. A juvenile male (later identified as thirteen-year-old J1) and female (later identified as NAIYA JENAE BURNETT, dob 629/2007) standing in front of him boxed him inside the shelter. BURNETT held a fixed blade knife with a pink or red handle in her right hand. BURNETT and J1 told him to give them his cellphone. They asked him if he wanted to “get killed over a phone.” LVW refused to hand over his phone.
BURNETT swung her right hand with the knife toward him, stabbing him in the stomach area. LVW was afraid. He pushed BURNETT, sending her backwards off of the platform and onto the tracks. J1 told LVW not to push his sister. J1 punched LVW. LVW broke away and created distance between him and BURNETT J1. BURNETT returned to the platform holding the knife in her hand. LVW walked west toward Snelling Avenue. BURNETT and J1 followed him and continued to threaten him. One of the parties pulled at his back.
LVW continued walking and told BURNETT and J1 that there was a police officer at the westbound platform. LVW flagged down the security officer on the westbound platform. BURNETT and J1 walked to him and continued to verbally threaten him. LVW called 911. BURNETT and J1 boarded an eastbound train. LVW said his property was not taken. Officer Vang observed BURNETT and J1 walk back to the platform and confront LVW. BURNETT and J1 entered a train. Officer Vang reported BURNETT and J1 were trying to get rid of their jackets.
The eastbound green train was stopped. Saint Paul Police arrested BURNETT and J1 on the Snelling eastbound light rail platform. During a show-up, LVW identified J1 as the male who hit him. LVW identified BURNETT as the female who stabbed him. LVW said he recognized the blue jacket worn by BURNETT. The knife was not located. Saint Paul Officers told Metro Transit Officer Johnson that BURNETT said LVW pushed her onto the tracks and J1 “swung on him.” After she got up. She also assaulted LVW. BURNETT said a knife was not involved.
