ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) -
St. Paul police have released the mugshots of Steven Lewis and Gabriel Kimbrough – the two men accused of robbing several people who met up to buy an iPhone listed for sale on Craigslist.
One of those robberies led the shooting death of 19-year-old Hamline University student Aung Bo.
Police delayed the release of the mugshots to preserve the integrity of open investigations of similar robberies.
According to second-degree murder charges filed against Lewis, Bo and his ex-girlfriend met the 26-year-old Lewis in the parking lot of a restaurant on the afternoon of Aug. 10 to buy the phone.
However, Lewis said he needed a ride to his house to get the charger for the phone.
Once inside Bo's car, the three then drove about a block before Lewis allegedly pulled a gun and demanded their wallets.
Lewis leaned forward to search Bo's pockets while holding the Glock to the teen's head when it went off. Bo's girlfriend screamed and Lewis ran out of the car. He was later arrested when police found him in a car on Plum Street with blood on his hands.
Another robbery victim who spoke with FOX 9 News said he had no previous problems using Craigslist before he placed an ad to buy iPhones on Craigslist. Eventually, he went to the same St. Paul neighborhood where Bo was shot.
Like Bo, the victim said he was hesitant and didn't feel right, but he decided to go ahead anyway.
"I mean, when I got to the neighborhood, it was a rough neighborhood," he said. "That's when I probably should have just got in my car and drove away and said, 'Forget about it. It's not worth it.'"
Instead, his story would fill one of three police reports that show a similar robbery pattern to the one that ended in Bo's death.
He still plans to use Craigslist, but he is trying to share what he has learned. From now on, he will only meet people where there are security cameras or at a nearby police station.
Lewis has four prior felony convictions for domestic assault, theft and damage to property. Bail has been set at $500,000.
A fund has been established for the family of Aung Bo. Donations can be sent by mail to the Aung Bo Memorial Fund or dropped off at Topline Federal Credit Union, located at 976 Lexington Ave., in St. Paul.
Steven Lewis (left) and Gabriel Kimbrough (right)
