On January 21, 2020, 42-year-old Larnell Brown was fatally shot just after 4:00 p.m. near the intersection of University Avenue and Arundel Street in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Brown was found lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his back after a marijuana transaction turned violent.

During the exchange, Brown and his companion allegedly robbed Gresham at gunpoint, taking marijuana and Gresham’s car keys before trying to leave. As Brown and his friend walked away, Gresham allegedly fired shots from his car and struck Brown. Brown’s friend returned fire, and Brown handed his gun to another friend with instructions to dispose of it; that friend was later arrested and police recovered Brown’s gun. Gresham was identified in a photo lineup and charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

What details about the incident or the people involved might help explain how the exchange escalated so quickly?