Minneapolis police continue to search for suspect in brutal beating, death of veteran

MINNEAPOLIS — A family is asking for answers after their brother was brutally beaten on a busy downtown street as police continue searching for who did it.

Thursday evening, sitting in front of pictures of her brother James Quigley, better known as, Otis, Michelle Swanson is heartbroken.

“Jimmy had a habit of calling me on Thursday,” Swanson said.

That call hasn’t come since early May, that’s when Swanson’s life changed forever.

Two months ago, her brother went down to First Avenue for the Charlie Parr concert before getting drinks alone at Gluek’s Restaurant & Bar.

Swanson believes her brother was waiting for an Uber home to Spring Lake Park when he was assaulted.

“I’ve been told there was some type of verbal altercation, Jimmy turned away, looked back and a person jumped him,” Swanson said.

Days later, his family made the difficult decision to take him off life support. He passed just 15 minutes later.

“The day he died he was supposed to be flying out to Jacksonville, Florida, to meet with brethren for a reunion for USS Stark,” she said.

Quigley served in the Navy and was a Gulf War Veteran. A beautiful military honors service was held at Fort Snelling, where he is now buried.

His life of service didn’t end with him, as he gave the gift of life by donating his organs saving a 70-year-old and a 54-year-old.

Swanson says the last few months have been difficult and the lack of answers is agonizing.

“We need help,” Swanson said. “We need someone who knows something that happened to our brother. That’s what I can’t get over.”

For Swanson and her loved ones, the fight for justice continues for their baby brother who brought nothing but love into their lives. 

Minneapolis police say no arrests have been made.