Prosecutors: Argument preceded fatal stabbing at Minneapolis light rail station

Prosecutors say a verbal exchange near a Minneapolis light rail station preceded the fatal stabbing 58-year-old Gerald Davis over the weekend.

• Related: Victim in light rail stabbing identified as 58-year-old man

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged 25-year-old Anthony Bowker, of Minneapolis, with second-degree murder Wednesday. County Attorney Mike Freeman said surveillance videos captured what appeared to be an argument between a group of men and the victim about 15 minutes before Davis, of St. Paul, was stabbed to death on Saturday.

"Apparently, the victim had interaction with Mr. Bowker's father and brother and another individual on the street," Freeman said. "We don't know exactly what was said, but the hand gestures looked like it was not a friendly greeting."

Freeman says Davis threw up his hands before walking away from the group. Davis walked up to the Lake Street station platform, where he was later stabbed in the neck and shoulder. The videos show a man chase Davis with a switchblade and stab him several times in the neck. A witness reported seeing a man kick Davis in the head after he had collapsed.

Freeman says the three other men, including Bowker's father and brother, are being investigated. Despite the killing, he added, travel by light rail remains extremely safe in the Twin Cities.