The St. Paul City Council yanked the business and tobacco licenses from a Hamline-Midway gas station that neighborhood residents have called a magnet for littering, loitering, illicit sales of flavored tobacco and violent crime.

The 7-0 council vote on Wednesday followed months of public complaints about the BP Amoco gas station and convenience store at University and Hamline avenues, and the fatal shooting of a customer last June.

In October, a comedienne searching for her missing son inspired supportive residents to swarm the gas pumps, an effort broadcast on Facebook and intended to discourage drug dealing to underage and run-away youth.

After years of process and exhaustive review with community input, the City Council voted to adopt the recommendations of an administrative law judge and revoke the license of the Hamline Ave BP gas station, ensuring it closes for good. Watch my full statement here: pic.twitter.com/3DyR5TLvMF — Mitra Jalali, St. Paul City Councilmember – Ward 4 (@Ward4STP) March 19, 2020

Faced with the prospect of losing his business, owner Khaled Aloul of Bloomington last year appealed the pending disciplinary action to a state administrative law judge. That didn’t go well for Aloul — the judge sided with the city and found sufficient reason for an upward departure from a $1,000 fine.

On Wednesday, Aloul told the council he felt police and local government had targeted his store, which he said he was willing to redevelop the site into a bakery and coffee shop enterprise at considerable personal expense.

Council Member Mitra Jalali, who represents the neighborhood, told the council she’d had enough.