ST. PAUL, MN — Police in St. Paul say they recovered a missing bronze bust of Olympic gymnast Suni Lee inside a closet at a home on the 900 block of Forest Street.
Two people at the residence, Tamica Nicole Bazinet, 44, and Dashawn Tyree Caradine, 22, were arrested and each faces one felony count of receiving stolen property.
The statue had been missing since July 31, 2025, when it disappeared from Phalen Regional Park.
The Arrest
Officers were sent to the home around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, after a report of shots fired.
When they arrived, police say they found spent shell casings and three guns. Residents were told to leave the house, and that is when officers say they discovered the bust hidden in a closet.
The arrest tied a street crime call to a case that had lingered for more than a year.
The Statue
The bronze bust honors Lee, a St. Paul native and six-time Olympic medalist. It was first installed at the park in 2023, on the same date it later vanished.
Lee was present when the statue was unveiled. About 100 people gathered at Phalen Regional Park to celebrate her and recognize her local ties.
The honor came on what was called Sunisa Lee Day in the city.
What Bazinet Said
Court documents say Bazinet told authorities she found the statue about a month earlier in bushes down the street. She also said she later learned online that the bust had been reported stolen.
According to those documents, she said she did not know how to return it.
Police have not said publicly how long the bust had been in the home before the search, or whether Caradine made any statement about it.
Park Plans
St. Paul Parks and Recreation director Andy Rodriguez said the department plans to put the statue back at the park.
In a statement, Rodriguez thanked the police department and said the city was relieved to have the sculpture back.
The department said the bust belongs at Lake Phalen, where it can again honor Lee’s accomplishments and inspire residents.
Local Meaning
For St. Paul, the statue was more than a display piece. It was built around a hometown athlete who grew up in the city and became one of the most decorated gymnasts in the world.
The recovery closes the loop on a theft that drew attention because of both the subject and the setting.
Police and park officials are now focused on getting the bust reinstalled.
Local stories that matter, from Fairmont Flyer.