Charges: St. Paul gunman was ‘tweaking’ when he shot friend, tried to shoot neighbor

Charges in St. Paul deadly shooting

Witnesses say a Roseville man was “tweaking” on drugs when he allegedly shot and killed his friend and brandished the gun at another resident of a St. Paul apartment building early Sunday morning.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County, Spencer Curtis McAloney, 27, faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm in connection with the incident.

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Police found the murder victim shot several times in his apartment at the intersection of Victoria Street and Englewood Avenue around 1:40 a.m. Sunday. The victim, identified by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner as 32-year-old Tarik Hazem Hassan of St. Paul, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Nearby, officers ran toward a Toyota Camry after hearing a possible gunshot. The car drove away, sideswiping a parked Cadillac and later crashing into another parked car two blocks to the east before coming to a stop, the criminal complaint states. McAloney was in the driver’s seat, and a gun was found on the floor of the Camry. McAloney matched witnesses’ descriptions of the shooter, and police placed him under arrest.

Charging documents say McAloney was one of about 10 people in the apartment that night, which was an alleged hub for drug activity. Witnesses said the shooting victim dealt fentanyl powder.

One person told police McAloney was “tweaking” and paranoid from drug use and the victim had tried to calm him down “for over an hour.” McAloney’s erratic behavior escalated until he allegedly opened fire, sending people scattering from the apartment.

A resident of a different apartment said he overheard people arguing in the victim’s apartment while he went outside to smoke a cigarette. He estimated hearing eight to 10 shots come from inside the building. When he went back inside, he saw McAloney leave the apartment and then saw the victim lying on the floor, the complaint states.

The neighbor said he went upstairs to his unit, and McAloney confronted him at his door and asked, “Who are you?” He replied that he “had nothing to do with” the commotion downstairs. The gunman allegedly pointed a gun at the neighbor’s chest and pulled the trigger, but nothing happened.

The neighbor said his girlfriend opened the door and he was able to get inside. McAloney continued pounding on the door while the girlfriend called 911, the complaint states.

McAloney remains in custody on $1.5 million bail. His first court appearance is set for Tuesday.

Due to McAloney’s prior convictions, he was not allowed to own a gun or ammunition, the charging document says.
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