Man charged in connection with drug deal that devolved into fatal shooting

Prosecutors have formally charged a man with murder after he allegedly shot and killed someone during a drug deal last week in south Minneapolis.

Court records show 21-year-old Angel Jesus Zavala Gallegos of Minneapolis faces one count of second-degree murder in connection with the death of D’Shawn JC Porter.

A criminal complaint states Porter had met with Zavala Gallegos to buy crack on Thursday afternoon in a thrift store parking lot near the intersection of 12th Avenue South and East Lake Street.

A witness told police Zavala Gallegos pulled a small piece of crack from his pocket and Porter responded, “C’mon man, you know me,” signaling that he wanted a bigger amount. Zavala Gallegos allegedly reached into his pocket again, pulled out a gun and shot Porter once in the face before running away.

Police used surveillance footage to monitor Zavala Gallegos’ movements before and after the shooting and tracked him to his home. While conducting surveillance, officers overheard Zavala Gallegos mention a shooting, according to the complaint.

Officers arrested Zavala Gallegos, who gave inconsistent accounts of the events leading up to the shooting. He claimed not to know Porter but still referred to him by his nickname, “Fatboy.” He also said two masked men pulled up in a white sedan, got out and shot Porter, but security footage did not show any vehicle matching that description entering or leaving the area.

Zavala Gallegos remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail on $1 million bail. His first court appearance is set for Wednesday afternoon.