ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — A St. Paul man is accused of killing another man who had confronted him about his reckless driving, authorities said Tuesday.
Aloeng Kelly Vang, 19, was charged Tuesday with second-degree intentional murder in the shooting death of 50-year-old Jeffrey Thomas Elling of St. Paul early Sunday. Authorities say Vang went to Elling’s home and shot him after he answered the door.
Vang’s wife, Cyndi Lor, said it’s hard for her to believe her husband could kill anyone. She said she spoke with him moments before she heard gunshots, but said she’s still having a hard time believing her husband was the one that pulled the trigger.
According to the criminal complaint, Elling had confronted Vang about Vang’s reckless driving after he sped through the neighborhood.
Lor said she was inside her cousin’s home on the 1400 block of York Avenue, playing on the computer, when her husband pulled up in the driveway.
“When he got to the end of the driveway … the guy was yelling at him or something,” she said. “So he got out of the car. So I guess he started pushing my husband.”
The criminal complaint states Elling pushed Vang during the dispute and Vang, who appeared to be intoxicated, fell to the ground from the push.
Elling claimed Vang almost ran him and his girlfriend over as they crossed the street.
“He told me for my husband not to drive crazy because he could hurt somebody so I told the victim, ‘OK, I’m sorry about that,’” Lor said.
The complaint states that about 10-15 minutes after Elling and his girlfriend went back into their house. Lor said Vang drove away to cool off.
“So after that, we heard two gunshots,” she said.
According to the complaint, Vang said he didn’t know what he was thinking. He just wanted to talk to Elling. Vang rang the doorbell, then hid behind a tree. When Elling opened the door, Vang let off two shots.
Elling was found on the doorstep shortly after 3 a.m. Monday morning.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Lor said when her husband returned he told his family he had nothing to do with the shooting.
“My mother-in-law was saying, if you didn’t do it, go tell the cops that, so he said, ‘OK, I will,’” she said.
The complaint said that’s when Vang told police he shot Elling.
Vang was scheduled for his first court appearance Tuesday. Online court records did not list an attorney for him.
The complaint said Elling was shot in the base of the front of his neck and bled to death.
