St. Paul man robbed, shot at home after posting big win at casino on social media

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St. Paul police are looking for three people who busted into a home Thursday morning and fired at least three shots, terrifying the homeowners and two young children.

The crime happened fast, but gathering evidence took hours with the St. Paul Police Forensics Team dusting for fingerprints and marking evidence after the violent home invasion robbery on Bradley Street.

"It was incredibly scary and incredibly dangerous and traumatic for these victims," said Steve Linders of the St. Paul Police Department.

It all happened at a time most wouldn’t expect it to: 8:20 a.m. on Thursday. The sun was up, people were out, and suddenly police get a 911 call from a frantic woman. She told dispatch three people broke into her home and shot her boyfriend three times in the leg and butt. But, that’s not all.

"The female caller had her hands tied in some manner by the intruders, and they also found two young children who were at home at the time during the robbery," said Linders.

As scary as this is, it was likely not random. Police think the victim may have inadvertently made himself a target by celebrating a windfall online.

"Investigators believe it could be tied to a recent social media post... Apparently, the male victim who was shot had been to Las Vegas and it had been a successful trip for himself, so he posted about his winnings on social media," Linders said.

"If you win, whether you gamble, or playing the lottery or whatever maybe, it’s best to celebrate quietly and enjoy your winnings," he said.

It is not clear where the children were when this all happened or exactly what they witnessed. Everyone is expected to be okay, including the man who was shot.