Beyond his role as a member of the local business community, very little is known about John Carlos Quadros, who died after perpetrating multiple acts of violence in St. Paul on the evening of May 9.
Beyond his role as a member of the local business community, very little is known about John Carlos Quadros, who died after perpetrating multiple acts of violence in St. Paul on the evening of May 9.
In a Journal investigation into Quadros following the events of May 9, attempts to contact family members and staff of Quadros' store, Health Mart 2000 were unsuccessful.
One former customer of Quadros', Tony Spacil, came forth to the Journal, saying that he had several interactions with Quadros at Health Mart 2000, and that he was often “short and rude&” to his customers.
"I sell Amway, so I went in there one time and I was kind of just prospecting and just looking around at the various vitamins he had and whatnot. We got to talking a little bit there and I said, 'Would you take a look at diversifying your income into another income stream,' and he said, 'Oh, I don't think you and I would make good business partners.' I said, 'Why not?' And he said, 'Because you're not a Christian'," said Spacil, adding that he is in fact a Christian. "Every time I'd go in there he was very short and rude."
Quadros, 55, was seen as an outspoken individual at a public forum with the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 25, 2013, in which he challenged a proposal to force local businesses to purchase a membership with the chamber. Quadros argued that the chamber should have approached businesses directly before getting the municipal government involved.
“Ask me, not council. You've worked hard, I'll give you the $115 but stay away from the government,&” he said. “I care about leadership, I don't like seeing (council) lobbied for that. Don't force it down my throat.&”
In a Sept. 2013 interview with the Journal, Quadros questioned the moral and ethical values of the chamber in its proposal to force local businesses to purchase a membership.
“If moral and ethical values are not on the table anymore, and the chamber doesn't see how wrong it is to force us to join, we have to explore the legality of the matter instead,&” Quadros said in an interview with the Journal.
Mayor of St. Paul Glenn Andersen reflected on the September public forum last week, indicating that he believes Quadros' concerns on the issue were both valid and passionate.
“I had no personal dealings with him, but he had valid points at the meetings that we did have,&” Andersen told the Journal. “He was there as a businessman, he was voicing his concerns. Council meetings are public, and that's why we had that public meeting on it as well. His concerns were that you can't force him to be a member, which is right, and he was very passionate about it.&”
Reverend Duane Grant with the Bethel Family Worship Centre pointed out that while Quadros spent time attending the local services a number of years ago, he has not returned in some time.
“He wasn't a member, but he did attend about five years back or six years ago,&” said Rev Grant. “He hasn't attended since then. I know that he's attended a number of churches in the community but he just never stayed at any of them. I guess we were just part of that cycle.&”
