Jerome L. Gooden

A gas station attendant in Maryland Heights grabbed a gun from behind the counter, followed a man outside and shot him to death on Sunday, authorities say. Jaymes AJ Mays, 25, of Ferguson, was charged Monday with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Mays is accused of killing Jerome L. Gooden, 37, of St. Louis at the Circle K gas station, located at 1999 McKelvey Road. Mays, the store employee, and Gooden argued inside the store, then Mays grabbed a gun from behind the counter when Gooden walked outside, police said. Mays followed him onto the parking lot and shot him twice about 6:15 p.m., Maryland Heights police Officer Timothy Conner said in court documents. Gooden died at a hospital. This was the first homicide of the year in Maryland Heights.