A Minnesota man has been charged with second-degree murder Monday after shooting an unarmed man he believed was a gang member during a traffic accident in St.Paul.
According to City Pages, Anthony Trifiletti,24, shot and killed Doug Lewis,39, on Friday and claimed self-defense as told by St. Paul police. Investigators say the shooting occurred after Lewis rear-ended Trifiletti’s truck in a fender bender. He said he felt threatened with his life and believed Lewis was a gang member before firing his weapon.
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The shooting took place near the intersection of Highway 61 and Burns Avenue. When the fender bender occurred, the drivers exited their vehicles, and Trifiletti took photos of the damage. He claimed the argument began when he asked Lewis for his insurance papers along with stating that the father of four said “I’m GD”, assuming that he was a gang member. Witnesses of the accident said they didn’t hear Lewis making the statement.
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Lewis left the intersection first with Trifiletti behind him. He placed his vehicle in park and approached the 24-year-old. The report says Trifiletti grabbed his handgun and shot him four times. He drove off shortly after while other witnesses called 911. Lewis was transported to the Regions Hospital where he later died.
Trifiletti returned to the scene and turned himself in. He says he didn’t know what he could’ve done and “feared for his life” when he saw Lewis grab his pants. Lewis was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
Currently, he is being held on a $1 million bond at the Ramsey County Jail and faces a 40 year prison sentence if convicted.