ST PAUL, Minn. — The videos show absolute chaos at 2 a.m. on June 22 in the parking lot of the Midtown BP gas station on University and Hamline Avenues in St. Paul.
Groups of people fighting after congregating there following bar close.
St. Paul licensing officials are using the videos as evidence that the gas station needs to be shut down.
A hearing is underway, a trial of sorts, with the St. Paul Department of Safety and Inspection asking an administrative judge to recommend the city council to revoke the owner's licenses.
The Midtown BP gained notoriety when a man was shot to death in his car this summer sitting at the gas pumps. Then this fall, a concerned mother began live-streaming videos calling out youth dealing drugs in the parking lot. She was inspired because her son would run away and meet friends there to cause trouble.
In a police body camera video recorded shortly after the fights on June 22, St. Paul Sgt. Rigo Aguirre talks to an employee, asking for surveillance video of the fights.
"There's always problems here," Sgt. Aguirre says.
Aguirre asks to look behind the counter. There, the officer finds the worker selling single cigars.
"If I just want to buy this one right here, you'll sell it to me for $2.80?" Aguirre asks.
The employee says yes, and with no sales tax.
Sgt. Aguirre also gets the worker to admit selling single cigarettes.
"You're doubling your money, because you're selling these at $1 apiece?"
Aguirre asks.
"Yes," the employee answers.
"So that's $20. And the pack only costs $10," Aguirre says.
The city argues those are clear violations.
And there's more.
In the video, the worker shows the officer how he takes apart a Brillo pad to roll them into small tubes
The officer testified people use them as filters for crack pipes. And the video shows the glass pipes and Brillo tubes sold together as a "kit," as the employee calls it.
BP owner Khal Aloul says the employee had a language barrier and the officer put words in his mouth.
Aloul also argues it's not their job to do police work, and that they did call 911 when these fights were going on. He told KARE 11 in a past interview that they're not a magnet for crime.
"It's not accurate. Crime can happen anywhere. It's not the place," Aloul said.
But the city argues the Midtown BP should be shut down for the public's safety.
This hearing will continue Thursday, and the judge will make a decision in 30 days. It will then be up to the St. Paul city council to make the final vote.