RAMSEY COUNTY, Minn. — A St. Paul man faces multiple charges for allegedly shooting at a family, then leading an officer on a brief chase.
According to a complaint filed with the Ramsey County District Court, 33-year-old Leonard Slaughter has been charged with 2nd degree attempted murder following the incident Wednesday evening in St. Paul.
Police responded to a report of shots fired on Suburban Avenue in St. Paul around 5:20 p.m. When officers arrived, they located two side-by-side homes with a shared entry, with evidence of gunfire. A vehicle outside the home had been struck, and several 9mm casings were recovered from the scene on the nearby roadway, in addition to two bullet fragments embedded in the victim's car, the complaint reads.
The complaint goes on to state that a grandmother and her grandchildren lived in one of the shared housing units, while a woman and other children lived in the other unit.
According to the complaint, the grandmother told police there had been an "incident" between her grandchildren and the children next door. She claimed she overheard the woman next door speaking with her boyfriend; the grandmother then claimed she was threatened when she went to speak to the neighbor.
Shortly after, the complaint says Slaughter showed up in a white SUV and began firing in the direction of the grandmother and her family while they were in front of their house. The family fled inside to call police. One family member said the woman next door and her children left the scene in another car.
Another of the witnessing family members said the woman next door had warned them her boyfriend "will shoot them." One of the witnesses claimed the woman specifically said, "y'all better call your people because he's coming."
According to the complaint, Slaughter drove away from the scene and was spotted by a responding officer, who chased Slaughter onto I-94 westbound, with the suspect driving in excess of 80 mph as he exited onto Highway 61
The complaint says the suspect eventually ran a stop sign near the intersection of Etna Street and Wilson Avenue in St. Paul, where he struck and damaged two vehicles and disabled his own SUV.
The complaint goes on to state that Slaughter then fled the crash scene on foot, carrying a black Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine - with a round still in the chamber, and 19 rounds of remaining ammunition.
The officer chased the suspect and ultimately was able to order the suspect to drop his weapon and raise his hands for arrest.
In addition to charges for 2nd degree attempted murder, Slaughter has also been charged for felony possession of a firearm, 2nd degree assault with a dangerous weapon, fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle, and drive-by shooting toward a motor vehicle or building with a dangerous weapon.
The complaint says Slaughter has three prior felony convictions, and is ineligible to possess a firearm or its ammunition.
