Gas station employee charged in connection with double shooting outside store in St. Paul
A 22-year-old West St. Paul man has been charged in connection with a double shooting at a gas station on Sunday.
Antonio Allen Ellis faces two counts of second-degree assault.
As previously reported, St. Paul police were called to a gas station on the 300 block of Larpenteur Avenue on a report of a shooting around 7 a.m.
Officers found two victims, who were brought to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to a criminal complaint, a man was found in an SUV with a gunshot wound to the knee. Another man was found at the gas station with a gunshot wound to the lower back.
An employee at the gas station identified the shooter as Ellis, his coworker. He added that one of the victims had come into the store “under the influence of something” and said that everything in the store was “free” for him.
The man told police that Ellis had a “short fuse” and started arguing with him. Court documents state that Ellis told the victim to leave and that the victim said they should settle the matter outside.
The two men started fighting outside and the second victim reportedly came to help fight Ellis. The witness told police that Ellis fired a gun at the other two men several times before leaving the scene.
Court documents state that officers recovered 14 10mm casings from the scene. An empty Glock 10mm magazine was also found near a dumpster.
Surveillance video shows the encounter — court documents note that once Ellis brandished his firearm, the two victims retreated and that he kept firing at them as they were retreating.
Ellis later turned himself in to police.
After recanvassing the scene, police found a Glock 10mm near the gas station in some water and leaves.
According to court documents, Ellis is ineligible to carry a firearm due to a prior felony conviction — hiring or agreeing to hire a minor for prostitution.