Teen sentenced to 25 years for killing St. Paul father, hockey coach who interrupted car break-in

Hilary Brasel paused as she described how her husband's murder changed everything.

Michael Brasel, 44, was her soul mate, she said in a Ramsey County courtroom packed with family and friends. The two met in a high school pottery class before reconnecting in college. They shared a romance that gifted them two sons and spanned through nearly two decades of marriage.

He was a mentor and youth hockey coach for some. To others, he was a handyman and lifelong friend. But for Hilary, Michael Brasel an anchor and compass whose life could not be put into words before it was cut short on May 6 when he interrupted a pair of car prowlers outside the family's St. Paul home.

"I feel lost without him," she said. "Michael was the best person I have ever known and there will never be another person like him."

Attendees echoed that sentiment Wednesday before Judge JaPaul Harris sentenced Kle Swee, the 17-year-old who fatally shot Brasel, to 25 ¹⁄₂ years in prison. Swee will also pay nearly $9,000 in restitution to the Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Board.

Brasel was killed after he interrupted Swee and Ta Mla, 18, from breaking into his wife's vehicle while it was parked in the driveway of the family's home in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood. According to charges, Mla told investigators that he and Swee were looking through cars for items to steal when they drove into the St. Anthony Park neighborhood that morning. Mla was looking through Hilary Brasel's car for a phone charger when Michael grabbed him from behind.

Swee was the lookout, and he fired at Brasel three times, striking him in the chest, abdomen and back. The two fled afterward, knocking the bumper off Swee's Honda coupe as they hit a curb during their escape.

Swee was arrested after running from police days later. He pleaded guilty to the shooting in August and agreed to be sentenced as an adult. Mla was arrested in June. He has been charged with second-degree murder and is due in court Nov. 2.

Although Mla said another person was in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, the St. Paul police say no additional charges are expected in the case.

Swee received 152 days of credit for time he has already served, and could spend the last third of his imprisonment on unsupervised release. He is being held at Lino Lakes' Youth Offender Program, but will be transferred to another Department of Corrections facility for the remainder of his sentence.

Some embraced each other through tears during Wednesday's emotional hearing. Many held each other for support. Such support felt crucial for , Michael's teenage son, who the family asked not be identified.

His cousin and aunt stood nearby to place their hands on his shoulder as he shared fond memories of his father. For the teen, this year marked his first hockey tournament, first day of high school and first Father's Day without his dad.

"I will miss the small things," he said, recounting when his father would clean his hockey gear or work on building an ice rink in their backyard. "You have to make the most of time here on Earth ... [you] never know when it will be your last."

"They have taken the heart from our family. it can never be replaced," said nephew Dylan Brasel, 27, who added that his uncle's murder will affect their family for generations. "That's how important Michael was."

Moo Ah, Swee's mother, sympathized with Brasel's grieving family. In a statement read by Swee's defense attorney Kristen Turner, Ah said that her family came to America for opportunity, but her son struggled through language barriers, addiction to prescription medicine and bad influences from friends around him. Ah said her son regrets his actions, and asked the judge for forgiveness in sentencing him.

Swee asked for the same, apologizing to his and Brasel's family while asking for a chance to ensure other kids don't repeat the mistakes he has made. Harris sentenced him to the maximum time allowed under his plea agreement, but asked that Swee look at prison time as another chance.

"I want you to take this opportunity to build yourself up," Harris said. "I believe you're better than this decision, but you must also face [the] consequences of this decision."

Brasel's family has launched an endowment in his honor to support youth mentorship and outreach organizations. They also started a scholarship at Cretin Derham Hall High School, "to help students who have lost a parent continue their education without financial concerns."

Hilary Brasel thanked authorities and residents for their support after Swee's sentencing and pledged to continue her husband's work of affecting change in their community.

"I believe there were missed opportunities to mentor and to try to intervene with these young men before Michael was murdered," Hilary Brasel said. "We will work relentlessly to make change in policies and practices, for now that we have had a chance to see how broken the system is, I cannot let it continue without speaking up."