A Sartell man dropped a loaded handgun and a bag containing more than 400 grams of methamphetamine while fleeing police on an e-bike through Robbinsdale in the early morning hours, according to charges.
Kenneth Lee Syverson, 38, faces four charges: first-degree drug sale while armed with a firearm, first-degree drug possession, carrying a pistol without a permit in a public place and fleeing a peace officer on foot.
According to the complaint, Robbinsdale police responded at about 3:20 a.m. on September 10 to the area of 38th Avenue North and Perry Avenue North after a caller reported three suspicious people, one on a bicycle, appearing to car prowl and trying to avoid headlights. The reporting party told officers the group ducked behind vehicles and hid until the caller exited their vehicle and walked toward their house.
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The caller also saw two unknown vehicles in the area, including one circling the block.
Officers soon spotted three people matching the description and identified one as Syverson. When officers approached, Syverson fled on an e-bike, ignoring commands to stop and squad emergency lights. He rode into a residential yard, abandoned the e-bike after being blocked by a fence and continued to flee on foot through yards before officers arrested him.
During the pursuit, officers saw Syverson drop a two-tone SigSauer P320 handgun with a red dot sight on the curb. Officers later recovered the firearm and collected DNA from both Syverson and the gun for analysis. The complaint states Syverson does not have a valid permit to carry a firearm.
Officers also found a black crossbody bag that Syverson discarded while fleeing. Inside, police discovered a clear vial containing three small bags with a combined 6.68 grams of methamphetamine, as well as a larger bag with 413.59 grams of methamphetamine. Syverson’s wallet and identification were also inside the bag.
About This Charge
Minnesota’s weapons offenses include § 624.713 (felon in possession of a firearm, five-year mandatory minimum for a prior crime of violence), § 609.66 (dangerous weapons, including drive-by shooting at § 609.66 subd. 1e) and § 609.165 (firearm restoration after a felony). Discharge of a firearm within a municipality is charged under § 609.66 subd. 1a.
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Jurisdictional Context
Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 45 surrounding cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
