A Cottage Grove man is facing three felony charges after allegedly firing a gun at two people who tried to rob him on Saturday behind a strip mall near Hy-Vee while he was selling them THC cartridges, police said.
The 18-year-old has been charged with two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and a count of possessing a firearm without a serial number, according to the criminal complaint filed against him in Washington County District Court.
He also faces a misdemeanor charge for falsely reporting a crime: He reported the incident himself but said it was the other people who shot at him.
No injuries were reported, police said, and the people allegedly involved in the incident were known to one another.
According to the criminal complaint, the 18-year-old called 911 around 5:15 p.m. and told police that someone had fired a gun at him. He told officers he had arranged to meet two people behind Planet Fitness in Cottage Grove to sell them his dirt bike. He said one of the men gave him “fake money,” and he got into a fight with him, the complaint states.
He told police a third unidentified male then appeared with a gun, tried to take his phone and other items, and ended up taking “one THC cart” before fleeing in one of the other men’s car. He claimed that as the car drove off, the third person fired two shots at him, the complaint states.
The two other men told police a different story. They said they met the 18-year-old to buy THC cartridges, which are used to inhale cannabis oil through a vaporizer. They confirmed that a third person came along and attempted to rob the 18-year-old, which sparked a physical fight. They said they broke up the fight and started to leave, one on foot and two in the car.
They said they then saw the 18-year-old “putting a magazine” into a gun and taking a shooting stance, according to the complaint. “One heard a ‘boom boom’ as he was driving away.”
A woman who witnessed the incident told police she saw “some sort of fight” that involved some kids “hanging off the back of the car,” the complaint states. “She said that ‘the kid with the bike’ was chasing the people in the car and she observed (him) shoot at the car.”
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The 18-year-old was arrested early Sunday at his house in Cottage Grove and taken to the Washington County Jail. He told police he dumped the gun and where to find it. The gun was recovered from Hearthside Park, police said.
“It is concerning anytime a gun is involved, and I’m proud of our officers for their swift and professional response,” Public Safety Director and Police Chief Pete Koerner said in a statement. “We want to assure the public that there is no ongoing threat to community safety related to this case. These types of incidents are rare in our community, but no matter the rarity, we take them very seriously.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing; anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call 651-439-9381 or 911.
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