The new sculpture was unveiled at Phalen Regional Park in St. Paul on Sunday. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A mother and son are facing charges after a shots fired call led to the discovery of a stolen bronze bust of Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee in a bedroom closet.
Stolen Suni Lee statue recovered
The backstory:
Dashawn Tyree Caradine, 22, and Tamica Nicole Bazinet, 44, are each facing one felony count of receiving stolen property in connection with the bronze bust, which had been reported stolen from Phalen Regional Park on July 31, 2025.
The discovery was made while officers responded to reports of gunshots at a multi-unit home on the 900 block of Forest Street. After finding spent shell casings from three different gun calibers on a staircase, police surrounded the building and ordered everyone to exit the unit. Caradine exited the building, alongside seven others.
During a safety sweep of the unit, police saw the bronze bust in a bedroom closet. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant and also recovered a handgun with an extended magazine and multiple calibers of ammunition. No injuries were reported in connection with the shooting, and no arrests have been made in that investigation.
Caradine told investigators he was having a birthday party when the shooting happened, but was unsure if the shots came from his unit. He claimed the gun recovered was not his and that 40 people had been in the unit that night.
‘Found it in some bushes’
What they're saying:
When it came to the bronze bust, Caradine allegedly told investigators that he knew it was in the unit and had been there for at least a month, according to the complaint.
Bazinet reportedly told investigators she found the bust "in some bushes down the street" about a month ago and brought it home. When she looked the bust up online and discovered it had been stolen, she claimed she did not know who to contact about returning the piece of art. The artist who created the bust valued it at $6,700.
Charging documents state that Bazinet has six prior felony convictions, five of which are for burglary and another for receiving stolen property involving a motor vehicle. She has been charged via warrant in connection with the bust.
Caradine made his first court appearance Monday and is next scheduled to appear in October.
What's next:
St. Paul police said plans are in the works to reinstall the bust in the near future, though a specific timeline has not been announced.
The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting and information from Ramsey County court documents and the St. Paul Police Department.