A young Andover man is accused of fatally shooting a 19-year-old in a Coon Rapids parking lot Monday afternoon.
Vaughn Jarod Coklas, 19, was charged Wednesday with one count of second-degree murder in the death of Staveonte El Brown, according to a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County District Court.
Coklas made his first appearance in court Wednesday morning, where his bail was set at $1 million with conditions and $1.5 million without.
Police responded shortly after 4:30 p.m. to reports of a shooting in the parking lot of Cub Foods at Hanson and Northdale boulevards, where they found Brown suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest, according to the criminal complaint against Coklas. Brown died at the scene.
Bystanders directed arriving officers to Coklas, who was arrested as he was attempting to flee the scene, the complaint said.
Witnesses told investigators that Coklas had pulled into the parking lot moments before another vehicle carrying Brown pulled up alongside him.
After Brown got into the passenger seat of Coklas’ car, a fight broke out between the two men inside the vehicle and spilled out into the parking lot, the complaint said.
When Coklas and Brown separated, witnesses said Brown bent down to pick up some money that had fallen out of the car. While Brown was bent over, Coklas allegedly produced a handgun and shot him.
Witnesses told investigators that Brown did not appear to be armed, nor did he make any verbal or physical threats toward Coklas, according to the complaint.
No attorney for Coklas was listed in court documents.
