Stolen Suni Lee statue recovered during St. Paul shots fired investigation
Suni Lee statue stolen, St. Paul Parks and Recreation director responds
St. Paul Parks and Recreation Director Andy Rodriguez spoke on All Day about the theft of a Suni Lee statue from a St. Paul Park.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - While responding to a shots fired call early Friday morning, St. Paul police say they recovered the stolen bronze statue of Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee, which had been taken from Phalen Regional Park more than a year ago.
Stolen Suni Lee statue recovered
What we know:
Police responded shortly after 12:30 a.m. to a multi-unit home in the 900 block of Forest Street after reports of gunfire.
Officers found spent rifle casings outside the home and made several announcements before multiple people exited the residence. Police said no injuries were reported, and they checked the home to make sure no one else was inside.
Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the home and located multiple firearms and ammunition.
Among the items recovered was the bronze statue of Suni Lee, which had been reported stolen from Phalen Regional Park on July 31, 2025.
Pictured are the St. Paul police officers who made the recovery of the stolen Suni Lee statue. (St. Paul Police Department. / Supplied)
Plans to reinstall the statue
What they're saying:
St. Paul police said plans are in the works to reinstall the statue in the near future.
St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry credited his officers' work for bringing the statue home. "Our city honored a great American, Minnesotan, and Saint Paulite, with a statue to celebrate her incredible achievements in multiple Olympic Games. Last year, disrespectful and shameless thieves decided to desecrate this tribute by stealing the statue from our community," said Henry. "I am happy to report that the statue of Suni Lee has been recovered thanks to our officers' diligent response to what began as a shots fired call."
The statue was installed in July 2023 to honor the St. Paul native. The city also proclaimed July 30 as Suni Lee Day in recognition of her Olympic achievements.
What's next:
Police said a man has been arrested and in custody at the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of receiving stolen property in connection with the statue.
No arrests have been made in connection with the shooting.
The Source: This story uses information from the St. Paul police and previous FOX 9 reporting.