30-year sentence for murder of man at Twin Cities gas station in response to perceived smirk

A South St. Paul man has been sentenced for a fatal shooting at a Minneapolis gas station in response to a perceived smirk from his victim.

Decarlos Deion Chopin, 35, was sentenced after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the killing of Frederick M. Franklin, 45, on Dec. 1, 2021, at Winner Gas at the corner of W. Broadway and N. Lyndale Avenue.

With credit for time in jail, Chopin’s sentence of 30¼ years includes 17 years in prison and the balance on supervised release.

Chopin’s criminal history also includes numerous assault and domestic assault convictions, as well as one for first-degree robbery.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police said the killing may have been random. The criminal complaint shed no light on a motive.

However, in an order by Judge Daniel Moreno denying an effort by the defense to withdraw the guilty plea, Chopin explained why he shot Franklin.

“When [Franklin] smirked at me, I said, ‘Quit playing with me,’ and I shot him,” the judge’s order cites Chopin as saying to his probation officer. “I meant to shoot him in the leg. I didn’t mean for him to die. I felt threatened. It was a horrible mistake. I’m very remorseful for what I did.”

According to the criminal complaint:

Gas station surveillance video showed Chopin in the driver’s seat of his minivan at a gas pump when Franklin walked by. The two exchanged words before Chopin stuck a handgun out the window and shot Franklin.