Man charged in fatal St. Paul marijuana‑deal shooting
Prosecutors have charged a St. Paul man in the fatal shooting of another man during what police say was a marijuana deal that turned into a robbery on the city’s East Side. According to the criminal complaint, the suspect arranged the buy, pulled a gun during the transaction, and the victim was shot and later died despite emergency response at the scene. Investigators say video, phone records and witness statements tied the defendant to the meetup and the gunfire, and he is now jailed on a pending second‑degree murder count. The case highlights how street‑level cannabis deals remain a flashpoint for violence in the Twin Cities even after legalization and will feed into ongoing debates over illegal markets, guns and neighborhood safety in St. Paul.
📌 Key Facts
- St. Paul police say a marijuana deal on the city’s East Side escalated into a robbery and fatal shooting
- A St. Paul man has been charged in Ramsey County District Court, reportedly with at least one count of second‑degree murder
- Investigators cite surveillance, phone data and witness accounts linking the suspect to arranging the deal and firing the fatal shot
📊 Relevant Data
In Minnesota, young Black males aged 15-34 make up 1.2% of the state's population but accounted for 40% of all gun homicide deaths in 2023.
State Data: Minnesota — Center for Gun Violence Solutions
Black and White Minnesotans use cannabis at similar rates, but Black Minnesotans are more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession.
Public Health FAQs — Cannabis Research Center, University of Minnesota
Since cannabis legalization in 2023, Minnesota prosecutors have brought more than 3,500 charges for marijuana possession in cars as of December 2025.
Prosecutors have brought over 3500 charges for marijuana possession in cars since legalization — Minnesota Reformer
Black people in Minnesota were victims of violent crime 4.8 times more often than their share of the state population according to 2023 data.
Minnesota Criminal Justice Data Snapshot — Justice Reinvestment Initiative
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