White Driver Fatally Shoots Unarmed Black Driver From 10 Feet Away, Claims He Feared For His Life

A Carver County man claimed he shot and killed an unarmed Black driver in St. Paul because he feared for his life.

Anthony J. Trifiletti, 24, of Watertown, Minn. was charged in Ramsey County District Court on Monday with second-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Douglas C. Lewis of St. Paul, according to StarTribune.com. Trifiletti, who is currently being jailed with a $1 million bail amount, told police that he feared for his life when he fatally shot Lewis. The incident happened this past Friday night when the two apparently got into an argument following a minor vehicle collision.

Later on, Trifiletti told police that the victim appeared to be reaching for his waistband and began walking towards him. Trifiletti then took to his glove compartment in his car, took out a gun and fired several shots into Lewis, puncturing him four times. Star Tribune reports Trifiletti has a legal permit to carry. The incident took place around the area of Highway 61 and Burns Avenue on St. Paul’s East Side a little before 9:30 p.m., according to a criminal complaint. Police arrived to the scene where they say other civilians were watching over him. No weapons were found on Lewis.

The victim was taken to Regions Hospital, where he died shortly after. Trifiletti says the collision happened when a driver in a silver Ford bumped his pickup truck from the back. Both drivers pulled over to exchange information, but the situation escalated into an all-out shouting match. Trifiletti ended up telling his friends, who were behind him in another car, to leave.

Trifiletti and a friend claimed they heard Lewis say he was a “GD,” referring to a gang. Trifiletti says he then “unintentionally” followed Lewis. At that point, Lewis put his car in park and got out. As Lewis began walking towards him, Trifiletti took out his gun and shot him from roughly 10 feet away, according to court documents. Trifiletti claimed he thought he was going to die and was afraid for his life.”

However, a young couple who saw the entire ordeal said Lewis didn’t appear to have a gun and said they did not hear him say he was gang-affiliated. Trifiletti took off after shooting Lewis, and the couple provided a wounded Lewis with medical care. When detectives asked Trifiletti why he didn’t just drive off or refuse to get out the car, Trifiletti claimed he “didn’t think that was an option” because another car was stopping him from backing out.

Lewis’ sister believes Trifiletti killed him because he felt Lewis was a threat because of his race and wants to use self-defense as an excuse. “White people can get away with killing a black man by saying they were afraid. He has brought great pain to my family,” Valerie Lewis said. Lewis is a working father of four who has no background in violence.