Elijah James Buckanaga

On 05/26/2026 at approximately 21:03 hours, law enforcement officers with the Metro Transit Police Department were monitoring the intersection of Cedar Avenue and 24th Street, Minneapolis, Hennepin County through a trailer camera. The area had been identified as a significant hub of narcotics activity. Law enforcement attention was drawn to an individual subsequently identified as ELIJAH JAMES BUCKANAGA, [DOB REDACTED] (BUCKANAGA). Specifically, law enforcement saw him engage in a narcotics transaction and were under the belief that BUCKANAGA had narcotics on his person.

Law enforcement approached BUCKANAGA and told him that he was under arrest. BUCKANAGA took off running away from law enforcement. Law enforcement observed BUCKANAGA continually reach towards his cross-body bag and struggled with law enforcement. Law enforcement took the bag and BUCKANAGA yelled, "Mom! I'm going to jail! They found the gun!" Law enforcement located various narcotics and a firearm on BUCKANAGA's person. One item of narcotics weighed 46.13 grams without packaging and field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Pursuant to law enforcement training and experience, the circumstances of possession and amount are inconsistent with personal use. Law enforcement located a loaded 9mm firearm on BUCKANAGA's person with a loaded extended magazine. The firearm was a "kit gun" meaning that it does not possess a serial number. BUCKANAGA has $624.83 in cash on his person. BUCKANAGA is prohibited from possessing a firearm through crime of violence convictions, including Felony Domestic Assault in Court File 69-DU-CR-22-1441 sentenced on 12/19/2022. BUCKANAGA is in custody for this offense.