St. Paul man charged with firing at Speedway security guard, who shot back

Mara H. Gottfried, Pioneer Press
·1 min read

A security guard shot a 41-year-old man who fired at him outside a St. Paul gas station, according to charges filed Monday.

Samit Mao, of St. Paul, tried to buy cigarettes and juice with a “Speedy Rewards Card” at the Speedway at Johnson Parkway and East Seventh Street Friday night. An employee reported he was mumbling to himself, the criminal complaint said.

According to the complaint:

Mao lifted his shirt and showed the handle of a gun in his pants pocket and punched a glass window in front of the register. The store’s security guard told Mao he needed to leave and followed him out.

Mao lifted his shirt again and the 26-year-old guard reported he could see Mao’s gun. The guard pulled a gun, for which he has a permit, pointed it at Mao and told him to show his hands. Mao said, “You don’t know who you’re messing with” and fired two to three rounds toward the guard. The guard fired four to five rounds back.

Mao ran, continuing to shoot toward the guard, then drove away. Officers found Mao in his vehicle at a different Speedway at Lafayette Street and University Avenue, and took him into custody. He had a gunshot wound to the arm and was taken to Regions Hospital.

Police located a handgun under the front seat of Mao’s vehicle. It was reported stolen from Chicago.

The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged Mao with second-degree assault and illegal firearm possession. He’s not eligible to have a gun due to a first-degree assault from 2017, for which he’s on probation. His attorney couldn’t be reached Monday.

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