Charges: Deadly shooting during Brooklyn Center gas station drug deal

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in a deadly shooting during a drug deal robbery at a Brooklyn Center gas station, according to charges filed Tuesday.

Giovanni Williams, 23, was identified by police as the suspect on the night of the shooting, which happened just after 8 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the Pump n’ Munch gas station at 1505 69th Ave. N. Police arrested Williams on Tuesday morning, Dec. 17, at a Brooklyn Park residence.

According to the criminal complaint, police arrived at the gas station and found a 45-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the head. His girlfriend was screaming and holding an article of clothing against the wound. The victim died at the scene.

The victim’s girlfriend identified the shooter as a man named Giovanni. She told police that earlier in the day, she arranged to sell an ounce of marijuana for $300 to another person, who put her in touch with Giovanni Williams.

The victim’s girlfriend drove to the gas station to meet Williams, who exited his car and got into their Chevy Blazer. Williams asked to smell the marijuana, then said he was robbing them and fired one gunshot into the victim’s head.

Surveillance video verified much of the girlfriend’s statement.