Surveillance video captured by the restaurant where a multi-victim shooting broke out in Spring Lake Park last weekend shows someone repeatedly firing into a crowd before taking off.
Investigators recovered the video from Dula Thai Restaurant after the early Sunday shooting, which left a 19-year-old St. Paul man dead and seven others wounded, according to the affidavit for a search warrant filed Monday in Anoka County District Court.
Authorities identified the deceased man as Chai Yang, 19, of St. Paul.
Six of the seven other victims, ranging in age from 19 to 38, are also from St. Paul. A seventh man is from Pine City, Minn.
None of the seven suffered life-threatening injuries.
The footage reportedly shows a crowd leaving the restaurant at 8407 Plaza Blvd. around midnight and then filling the parking lot.
A fight breaks out, and someone can be seen on the video “firing multiple rounds toward the crowd,” from the east side of the parking lot, the affidavit says.
People in the parking lot move for cover, and then the shooter “appears to leave the scene in a vehicle,” it continues.
People hit by the gunfire can be seen on the ground as others rush to their aid, and then “appear to move for cover” a second time as vehicles start to leave the parking lot, according to the affidavit.
The preliminary investigation indicates the incident involved two rival street gangs, according to the affidavit.
The search warrant targeted three cellphones belonging to people shot. Investigators believe the phones may have captured additional video of the incident, as well as provide information on their gang involvement, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit also said video of the shooting has been shared on social media and that the identity of the shooter or shooters was yet to be identified as of Monday.
Investigators are hoping that a review of the cellphones and the social media accounts referencing the incident will help reveal responsibility.
According to advertising on Facebook and Instagram, an event was being held at the restaurant called Bigg Monster’s Ugly Sweater Party featuring several musicians, including Stupid Young, a Cambodian-American rapper from Long Beach, Calif.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up to receive donations to pay for the funeral of Chai Yang.