Stephan James, South St Paul, Minnesota best man shoots wedding crasher in the legs after getting into altercation with groom

A Minnesota wedding turned chaotic last weekend after the best man allegedly shot an uninvited guest during a reception at Keller Lake Regional Park in Maplewood.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Stephan Andrew James of South St. Paul, is accused of firing two shots that struck the victim in both legs, following a heated confrontation between the wedding crasher and the groom.

The Incident

Police responded to reports of a shooting around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, arriving at the scene where more than 100 guests had gathered to celebrate. Officers found the victim bleeding heavily, with bystanders using belts as makeshift tourniquets before paramedics rushed him to Regions Hospital.

Witnesses described the shooter as a man in formal attire with dreadlocks, who fled the scene in a black Dodge SUV with a woman and three children.

The groom told investigators that the victim had arrived uninvited, confronted him over not attending a funeral, and became aggressive, shoving him during the altercation. The groom claimed he did not see who fired the gun but heard the shots immediately after.

Eyewitness Accounts

A wedding photographer contradicted the groom’s statement, saying he saw James intervene in the dispute, shove the victim, and then fire two shots before running from the scene.

The victim himself told police he had come to pick up his wife and children, only to confront the groom about personal grievances. During the argument, he said James pulled a gun and declared, “We aren’t playing that s—,” before shooting him.

The Arrest

Investigators tracked James through his SUV, locating it at his girlfriend’s home in South St. Paul. A search revealed clothing matching the shooter’s description. When police later spotted James getting into a vehicle in St. Paul, he had cut off his dreadlocks. A 9mm handgun found under the passenger seat contained ammunition that matched casings recovered at the crime scene.

James was arrested Wednesday and taken into custody. During questioning, he gave evasive answers, at one point saying he didn’t remember where the wedding had been held before invoking his right to an attorney.

“I know I’m not a bad person,” James reportedly told officers. “I have never been in stuff like this. I hope you guys understand. If you talked with other people, you should understand I’m not a bad person or aggressor.”

Charges and Potential Sentence

James faces charges of first- and second-degree assault. A judge set his bail at $250,000 following a Friday court appearance. He remains in custody at the Ramsey County Jail.

If convicted, James could face up to 27 years in prison.