Kyuntay Deshawn Prowell fatally shot a 20-year-old man during an argument that broke out at a St. Paul gas station Tuesday evening before suffering his own self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities say.
The 18-year-old was charged Wednesday in Ramsey County District Court with one count of second-degree intentional murder in the death of Aaron Haywood Delaney.
It’s still not clear whether Prowell’s self-inflicted gunshot wound was accidental or intentional, authorities say. He remained hospitalized in stable condition.
Prowell was arrested after images of the East Side shooting were taken from the surveillance system of the Holiday gas station at 1444 E. Minnehaha Ave. and police spotted someone matching the suspect’s description running nearby, the charges say.
Officers started chasing Prowell and were “panning” the back of a home at 1439 E. Sixth St. when they heard a gunshot and saw Prowell emerge from the west side of the residence with his hands up, according to the criminal complaint.
He was bleeding from a gunshot wound beneath his chin, the charges say.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, where medical staff stabilized him and determined he has a bullet lodged in his head, according to the complaint. A revolver was recovered from the back of the home were Prowell was arrested.
He encountered Delaney at the Holiday gas station earlier Tuesday evening after Delaney pulled up in a silver car, the charges say.
As Delaney went to remove the gas nozzle, he and someone in a nearby car “exchanged words,” according to the charges. At some point Prowell exited the car he was in and started walking toward Delaney.
Video footage reportedly shows Delaney grab a windshield squeegee as Prowell starts to follow him around the parking lot. At some point, Prowell reportedly started running at him armed with a gun, causing Delaney to retreat toward his vehicle’s driver’s side door, the charges say.
That’s when Prowell raised the gun and shot Delaney four times, the charges say. Delaney was driven to a nearby hospital, where he died.
No attorney was listed for Prowell in court records, nor has his first court appearance been scheduled.
He was charged Wednesday afternoon via warrant.
His criminal record includes past convictions for terroristic threats and fleeing police in a motor vehicle.
Mara H. Gottfried contributed to this report.