The killing of Tajai Evans, 26, during a road rage incident in St. Paul was a senseless crime that has left his family shattered, his mother says.

When Evans was 6 months old, his father and aunt were killed in a homicide in Illinois.

“I vowed to keep my children safe and out of harms’ way,” said Evans’ mother, Lisa Trapps. “… I can’t believe … I am living this pain again.”

Evans’ “very best friend,” who was more like a brother to him, was with him when he was shot Monday, Trapps said.

“Tajai didn’t deserve this,” she said of her son, who was the father of two young children. “No one deserves this.”

Information from murder charges

Evans’ friend was driving a Toyota Corolla with Evans in the passenger seat on Monday. They were headed north on Interstate 35E near Seventh Street.

The driver said he moved to the left to let a Hyundai enter the highway, but it pulled in front of him and “brake checked him,” according to a criminal complaint charging Ian Loi Bursey, the 25-year-old driver of the Hyundai, with Evans’ murder.

The Corolla’s driver said he moved to a different lane to get away from the Hyundai, both exited the highway at Maryland Avenue and the Hyundai followed them. The Corolla pulled into a strip mall parking lot on Dale Street in the area of Como and Front avenues. Bursey threw something at the Corolla and left.

The Corolla exited the lot and saw the Hyundai pulled over nearby. The driver pulled up and Evans “got out to confront Bursey,” the complaint said. Evans, who was unarmed, punched Bursey as he was in the Hyundai’s driver seat.

“The assault lasted 3-5 seconds before Bursey fired a gun 4-5 times,” the complaint said of the Corolla driver’s report. Evans got back in the Corolla and the driver began taking him to the hospital. He crashed in downtown St. Paul on the way, and Evans was pronounced dead at the scene from his gunshot wounds.

Bursey called 911 about 7:30 p.m. Monday from the shooting scene. Officers found him standing outside his Hyundai Sonata holding a tissue to his bleeding nose. He said a man punched him in the face and he fired his gun. He provided police with his permit to carry a firearm.

Bursey told investigators that the Corolla “cut him off about 5 times, and he pulled up to them and told them not to do that,” according to the complaint. “Bursey said they laughed and pointed at him and said they do what they want.”

Bursey estimated Evans punched him five times, and said he tried to punch back but couldn’t. Bursey said he grabbed his gun, racked a round into the chamber as a warning and shot twice from inside his car. He said he hadn’t shot to kill Evans, but to get him off him.

Past mental health case

Evans’ mother said she doesn’t understand how Bursey had a permit to carry a gun. “My son should still be here, his murder could have been prevented,” Trapps said.

Last year, Bursey’s father petitioned the court for appointment of a guardian or conservator for his son. The petition said Bursey had been diagnosed with schizophreniform disorder, anxiety and depression three years earlier.

Schizophreniform disorder and schizophrenia share similar symptoms, but the disorder is a short-term mental health condition, while schizophrenia is a lifelong condition, according to Cleveland Clinic.

Bursey’s father withdrew his request for guardianship after reviewing a psychological report submitted to the court and based upon the doctor’s recommendations in the report, according to a July letter from his attorney to the court. No guardian or conservator was appointed for Bursey.

State law says people who are civilly committed as mentally ill are not eligible to possess a firearm, though Minnesota court records do not indicate that Bursey had been civilly committed. There are also prohibitions on felons, people convicted of domestic violence and other crimes, which wasn’t the case for Bursey.

Sheriff’s offices can deny an application “on the grounds that there exists a substantial likelihood that the applicant is a danger to self or the public if authorized to carry a pistol under a permit,” state law says.

‘Gentle, kind soul’

Trapps remembered her son as “a mama’s boy” who was “an amazing son, father, brother and friend. He loved his family more than anything.” The children he leaves behind are a 1-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. Evans had three sisters and two brothers.

“He was a gentle, kind soul and loved by so many people,” Trapps said.

Evans moved with his family from Wisconsin to Minnesota in 2009. He attended Como Park and Roseville high schools. He was a St. Paul resident.

Two years ago, Evans and Trapps took their first mother-son trip, and hadn’t yet had an opportunity to do it again. “He knows I love California and it was his birthday so we decided to go there,” she said of their 2022 trip.

Trapps attended Bursey’s first court appearance Wednesday, when his bail was set at $1 million.

An attorney wasn’t listed for Bursey in the court file and his father declined to comment Wednesday.