Ban Damage: MN Injury, Shooting, Deaths from ban

Attacked, woman says St. Paul bar wouldn’t call 911?
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July 5, 2007
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Margaret Dean said she was at the ‘The Trend’ on University Ave. when she went outside to have a cigarette.
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Dean said a man threw her to the ground, and broke her arm in two places.
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Dean went back into the bar and asked for help. “I said, ‘call 911,’ and nobody did anything– they just stood there and looked at me,” she said.
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5 EYEWITNES NEWS talked to a ‘Trend’ employee hursday who said the bar will never call 911 in those type of situations.
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According to authorities, bars don’t want to call police because it can lead to issues with their liquor license.
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“If you call 911 from a bar in St. Paul too many times, you loose your liquor license,” Tom Walsh of St. Paul Police said.
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Police said ‘The Trend’ doesn’t have a critically high list of calls.
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Doctors inserted seven screws in Dean’s arm and gave her 30 stitches for her injuries.
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She said she understands why the bar wouldn’t call authorities.

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Man allegedly severed wife’s tongue, windpipe in smoking fight…

Jun 13 2007

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Authorities allege an argument over smoking led a Brooklyn Center man to slash his wife’s throat, severing her tongue and windpipe.

Authorities say Meg Lundeen and her husband, Randy Aaser, visited a couple bars with friends and colleagues to celebrate her 30th birthday Friday night. According to the complaint, she told a friend she wanted to buy cigarettes, but that she had quit smoking and that her husband would be mad if he found out.

Authorities say Lundeen was attacked later at the couple’s house.

Aaser has been charged with second-degree attempted murder. He’s being held in lieu of 500-thousand dollars bail.

Lundeen remains in critical condition. Doctors reattached her tongue, but it’s not clear yet how her ability to speak or taste will be affected.

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Man Injured In St. Paul Bar Shooting

Mar 8, 2007
Darcy Pohland

(WCCO) St. Paul There were some terrifying moments for customers at a Twin Cities bar early Thursday morning.

A gunman started shooting inside Costello’s at Western Avenue North and Selby Avenue in St. Paul.

Regulars at Costello’s Grill And Bar were still talking about the gunman who came in and opened fire leaving bullet holes inside and out.

“A group was walking in the door and boom, boom … it’s a frightening thought,” said Costello’s owner Mike Costello.

Police said around bar closing Wednesday night an armed man saw a guy he knew inside Costello’s and started shooting.

“Fired four or five rounds, struck the victim three times — twice in the buttocks, once in the leg,” said St. Paul police spokesperson Tom Walsh.

The victim was taken to regions hospital and investigators said he’s being uncooperative with police.

The suspect is still on the loose.

“That’s what scares me about this whole thing, we have not had a problem here in 14 years … and for something like this to happen is just a terrible deal,” said Costello.

Costello’s used to have two security guards working the doors, but lost business following the smoking ban forced the owner to let them go.

About 25 years ago, violent crime in the neighborhood was common, but since then it’s transformed into a trendy, safe hot spot.

“It’s a safe, quiet neighborhood. I mean, it’s a nice area of St. Paul. Cathedral Hill, everybody loves it,” said neighborhood resident Steve Stenzel. “Shootings shouldn’t be happening. That doesn’t happen in this neighborhood at all.”

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