Argument at bar preceded woman being shot to death in St. Paul, according to charges

A 35-year-old man was charged Monday with murder on allegations that he shot his longtime partner at their St. Paul home over the weekend.

Mark A. Bell Jr., of St. Paul, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with intentional and unintentional second-degree murder in connection with the death of Latifa T. Brown, 31, of St. Paul, who was located by officers on the sidewalk with a gunshot wound outside the duplex on Lyton Place.

Bell was arrested Saturday and remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail ahead of a court appearance Monday. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

According to the criminal complaint:

Police were sent to Lyton Place shortly after midnight Saturday and saw the wounded Brown next to a minivan. Medics pronounced her dead minutes later. A gun was found by police on the ground nearby.

Officers at the scene put Bell in the back of a squad car. He appeared to have been drinking heavily. He kept asking police, "Is she dead?"

An obviously distraught Bell told investigators that he and Brown have a year-old child together and had been having problems since she received a permit to carry a firearm in public. He said she had grown more confrontational since she acquired a gun.

Brown walked home, while Bell and the friend drove. Bell got home first and armed himself with one of her guns.

The arguing between Bell and Brown resumed. Bell said Brown pulled the gun on him and feared she would shoot him. He said he heard a click from Brown's gun. Bell then shot Brown in the mouth. Bell brought Brown outside intending to drive her to the hospital.