Charge: Licensed counselor fatally shoots friend from childhood after two drank heavily in Brooklyn Park home

A 59-year-old licensed behavioral counselor was charged Tuesday with fatally shooting a friend from childhood while the two were drinking heavily at the suspect's Brooklyn Park home.

Glenn D. Smith was charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree intentional murder in connection with the killing of 58-year-old Bobby Evans on Saturday in the home in the 3800 block of N. 83rd Avenue.

Evans, who has no permanent address, was shot in the head and died at the scene, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office.

Smith remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

According to the criminal complaint:

Evans stopped by the Smith home and the two childhood friends drank heavily for several hours, according to Smith's wife.

An argument began between them, which soon turned physical. Amid pushing and shoving Evans tackled Smith to the floor in one of the bedrooms.

Smith's wife stepped in and began pushing Evans toward the door of the house. Smith came out of the bedroom with a gun and shot Evans in the head. Smith's wife then took the gun from her husband.

In a jailhouse interview, Smith admitted to police that he shot Evans and confirmed the heavy drinking, and that Evans was coming at him.

Court records show that Smith has at least four drunken-driving convictions in Minnesota.

Smith is licensed with the state of Minnesota as an alcohol and drug counselor, and as a clinical counselor.

His professional bio online says he provides his services at the home where the shooting occurred through Fresh Start Counseling and previously worked as a mental health practitioner at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

A hospital spokesman said Smith worked there for less than a year starting in 2016 and ending the following year.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482