‘We feel like no one cares’: Sister of veteran killed in Minneapolis speaks out as suspect remains at large

A Gulf War Navy veteran was beaten to death in downtown Minneapolis more than a year ago. Michelle Swanson, the sister of James Quigley, spoke to Liz Collin on her podcast about the real-life consequences of a defunded and demoralized police department.

Swanson explained how her brother was beaten on Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis in May of 2024. He died 10 days later at Hennepin County Medical Center.

“It’s frustrating because we know absolutely no more today than we knew over a year ago as to what happened to him or who did this,” Swanson said.

“Jimmy was the beloved of the entire family because he was the last of a large family. He was a true patriot. He was a lover of the outdoors. He loved sports. As a young child, he would walk around with a notebook and a pencil writing every stat down that he could find on any athlete. He was a genuine, authentic person who truly loved his family and all his friends,” she added.

Quigley attended a concert at First Avenue and ended up near a bus shelter when the attack took place.

“He met friends downtown at First Avenue for the concert. They all were actually volunteering the next day at the University of Minnesota for the robotics conference for youth. And some of them were staying in the city at a hotel because it’s quite a distance. Jimmy, after the concert, decided to walk to Glicks to have a beer. After having that beer, he was walking down Nicollet Mall and my assumption is he was walking down to catch his Uber because that was what his routine was. He would generally get closer to the freeway to go out to the western suburb and he was walking past a bus shelter at 9th and Nicollet and there was some type of an altercation with someone that was in the bus shelter. We don’t know what that was, but we know he was walking past, then he turned, and as he turned back to continue walking, this person jumped him and started beating him,” Swanson said.

She also explained how things weren’t handled well right from the start. “That’s what is extremely frustrating and upsetting for the family. We were not called from HCMC for 10 days. He was in the hospital. He was intubated as soon as he came into the hospital within an hour. He had his ID on his person. He had his phone on him. He had his credit cards. He was not robbed. He was in the HCMC system because he had been to that hospital before. So it’s upsetting to us why we weren’t called. When I’ve asked the police about that, the Minneapolis police have told me they weren’t notified either. You know, it was classified as an assault as he came in.”

Finally on July 18 of this year, more than a year after her brother’s attack and death, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) finally released a picture of a person of interest in her brother’s death and asked for the public’s help.

5/
Are they fricking serious with this?? Over a year after Navy veteran James Quigley’s death, and months without a statement on the brutal assault in downtown Minneapolis, they put out suspect info now????

Shameful. pic.twitter.com/17zFJWzlPV

— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) July 21, 2025

Regarding the MPD, Swanson said, “I respect them and I respect their position. That press release was only put out because I asked for it. I pushed for it because after a year, I was so frustrated and I have so many questions from my family as well as from Jim’s friends, his Navy brethren, and we have nothing to say. We don’t know anything and we know time is not on our side anymore for finding any justice for Jimmy.”

“The police told me the reason they didn’t want to release much information is they didn’t want this person to flee. Well, it’s been over a year and my feeling is if the person was going to flee, they would have fled by this time,” she added.

Swanson is a lifelong resident of Hennepin County. Her brother was as well, Which added to the discouragement.

“We feel like no one cares. I mean, we’ve lived here, we’ve paid taxes here, we’ve contributed. Jimmy lived in that city for 20 years. And it’s pathetic to see what’s happened in this city. And I understand the police are overwhelmed. But at the end of the day, I don’t care. I care about what happened to my brother and to my family. And I would like some justice … The city is not safe. It’s not a safe place to go,” she said.

Tips can be sent to [email protected] of by calling 612-673-5845

Anonymous tips can also be sent online to Crime Stoppers of Minnesota or by calling: 800-222-8477

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