2 teens charged in fatal St. Paul shooting

Two teens have been charged in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred in St. Paul, according to court records. 

The juvenile petitions filed in Ramsey County state a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old have both been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection to the Feb. 15 shooting of 19-year-old Marcus Johnson. 

The Ramsey County Attorney's Office is seeking to certify the two teens as adults, according to court records. 

An 18-year-old was also arrested in connection to the incident but has since been released and charges have not been filed. 

3 teens arrested in Saturday's fatal shooting in St. Paul

Police were called to the intersection of Kennard Street North and Ross Avenue at about 11:15 p.m. on Feb. 15 on a report of a man who had been assaulted.

There, they found Johnson unconscious and not breathing, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Feb. 16, investigators found evidence in the trash of a home on East 7th Street in St. Paul they suspected was related to the shooting, according to the juvenile petitions.

The court documents said investigators spoke with the woman who lives at the home, who told police the 16-year-old and 17-year-old had been at her home with her son. The woman told police she heard the 17-year-old said he was "going to do something." The woman said she had a bad feeling about the conversation. 

The woman told police after confronting the boys about the shooting. The two said they had shot Johnson and that they had "no choice," according to the court documents. 

On Friday, police were surveilling the home on East 7th Street when they saw three teens exit the home and enter a vehicle that had recently been reported as stolen. Once a police squad pulled up behind the vehicle, it sped away. 

The vehicle later hit a tree on Frank Street in St. Paul. Officers were able to take the three teens into custody. 

According to the petitions, during an interview with police, the 17-year-old said the 16-year-old had woken him up on the night of Feb. 15 and asked him to help rob Johnson. The 17-year-old said the 16-year-old had contacted Johnson on Snapchat to purchase marijuana. 

The 17-year-old said a third individual was going to join them but was told not to come because the two said they did not want to scare Johnson. 

The petitions said the two drove a Toyota Corolla to the Kennard Street and Ross Avenue location, where they met Johnson.

According to the petitions, when Johnson entered the car, the 16-year-old was hiding in the back seat. The petitions go on to say the 17-year-old told investigators when Johnson saw the 16-year-old in the backseat, the two pointed their guns at Johnson. 

The petitions said the 17-year-old said he shot Johnson twice as he tried to exit the vehicle. The teen also told investigators the 16-year-old shot Johnson once. 

While interviewing the 16-year-old, investigators questioned him about the shooting. The petitions say the teen asked for an attorney and ended the interview.