Charges: St. Paul's 10th homicide of the year came in marijuana deal gone bad

A Minneapolis man was fatally shot Tuesday during a marijuana deal gone bad, according to murder charges filed Friday.

Gabriel R. Kimbrough, 23, of St. Paul, was charged in Ramsey County District Court with one count of aiding and abetting second-degree murder without intent in the death of Brock Cecil Larson.

Larson, 36, was shot about 10:30 p.m. on the 300 block of Burgess Street and died about 1:27 a.m. Wednesday from multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities believe Larson was a marijuana supplier and Kimbrough was a middleman arranging a sale with a third party. The complaint noted that just before Larson was shot, another man at the scene indicated that he had a gun.

The Ramsey County attorney's office said Kimbrough is not the suspected shooter. Police declined to address the role of the other man.

"It's an active and ongoing investigation," said police spokesman Sgt. Mike Ernster.

According to the complaint: Larson's friend told police that the two were at Larson's Minneapolis home when a woman arrived with Kimbrough and a second man.

Kimbrough later arranged for a sale in St. Paul on Burgess Street, where Larson and his friend arrived together. Kimbrough emerged from a nearby driveway.

Kimbrough told the men that the buyer was inside the house, and that Larson's friend could not accompany them inside.

The friend protested. Kimbrough went into the home alone, returned and told the men that the buyer wanted to meet Larson inside alone.

Kimbrough and Larson's friend were standing by Larson's SUV as Larson walked up the home's driveway carrying a backpack.

"As Larson was walking up the driveway, a white male walked past the SUV," the complaint said.

Shots were fired, and Larson ran back to his vehicle. Larson's friend drove him to Regions Hospital.

Data from a cellphone recovered near the home's backyard showed that it had been in contact with Kimbrough's phone between Sunday and 8:33 p.m. Tuesday, the complaint said.

Kimbrough was later arrested at his probation officer's office and declined to speak with investigators.

Larson was St. Paul's 10th homicide this year.

Anyone with information can call police at 651-266-5650.

Chao Xiong • 612-270-4708