Late-night gunfire leaves driver dead in St. Paul

No one has been arrested in the death of a St. Paul man, 23, but the shooting is not thought to have been random.

By CHAO XIONG, Star Tribune

Last update: June 28, 2009 - 7:55 PM

Keith Halvorsen ran out of his east St. Paul house about 2 a.m. Sunday after hearing gunshots. He found a man standing in the street reaching through the shattered window of a Honda, his hand cupped over the left eye of the driver, who had been shot in the face.

"He was just doing what he could," Halvorsen said.

When the man removed his arm, the driver's body fell forward onto the steering wheel. He was dead.

On Sunday afternoon, family members identified the driver as 23-year-old Chai Moua of St. Paul. His front-seat passenger was not hurt.

No one has been arrested in Moua's death, which was St. Paul's seventh homicide this year.

Moua was "a good guy," said his nephew, Cha Lor.

Residents of the 1200 block of Beech Street said they heard a car horn, then five to seven gunshots. Through a window, Halvorsen saw a vehicle speed away from Moua's car, then turn around and speed back past it as about six people in their late teens to early 20s ducked for cover behind parked cars.

Witnesses said there had been a large family gathering at Moua's brother's house, which is on the block. Moments after Moua parked his car on the street, the shooter's vehicle pulled up next to him and shots were fired, police said.

It's unclear how many people were in the shooter's car. Police had no description of the suspect.

"I was shocked," said neighbor Kevin Johnson. "I'm still shaken up."

"Senseless," Halvorsen said.

Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell said although the motive is unknown, the shooting is not thought to have been random. Moua's family has cooperated with investigators, he said.

Chao Xiong • 612-673-4391

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