On 11/03/2025, an Officer responded to a report of an individual with an airsoft gun at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport in Hennepin County. The report stated that an individual, Robert Anthony Mendell, [DOB REDACTED], Defendant herein, was going through security screening when a gun was discovered in his backpack. The Officer arrived and made contact with airport security who reported that Defendant was delivering supplies to the airport and had gone through security screening when a gun was discovered in his backpack.
The Officer located the backpack and removed the gun from it. The Officer questioned Defendant about the gun and Defendant stated that it was a Byrna gun that he had for self-defense. The Officer observed the gun to be loaded with a magazine that contained two Byrna Kinetic Projectiles and two Byrna Max Projectiles. The gun also had a Byrna Kinetic Projectile loaded in the barrel. The gun was also loaded with a CO2 cartridge. The Officer investigated the projectiles and found that the Byrna Max Projectiles are loaded with an Oleoresin Capsicum and Tear Gas blend.
The Officer also observed the projectiles to be.68 caliber in size. Defendant is prohibited from possessing a pistol and tear gas compounds due to his conviction of a crime of violence in 2007 in court file ••-CR-••-••••. Defendant has also been convicted of a crime of violence in 2014 in court file ••-CR-••-••••.
