A Richfield man standing outside a bus at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center banged a handgun on the window and pointed it at a passenger inside, causing the victim to fear for his safety, according to the complaint.
Eric Dwight Jefferson, 47, faces a charge of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
According to the complaint, Metro Transit police responded to a weapons call at the Brooklyn Center Transit Center on September 20, 2026. The victim told officers he was sitting on a bus when he saw a man, later identified as Jefferson, standing outside smoking with a woman. The woman boarded the same bus, while Jefferson remained outside.
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The complaint states that Jefferson began yelling profanities at the victim, then brandished a small black “cowboy” style handgun and banged it on the bus window, pointing the muzzle toward the victim. The victim reported that he feared Jefferson was going to shoot him. The bus driver pulled away with Jefferson still outside.
Officers later found Jefferson on another bus and ordered him off before detaining him.
While officers searched for the weapon, Jefferson looked toward a ticket vending machine where a plastic bag was sitting and told officers, “That was that girl’s… she dropped it, I swear to God.” Officers searched the bag and found a handgun matching the victim’s description.
Jefferson also told officers he had tapped his cell phone on the window because another man was “talking s***.” Officers conducted a show up with the victim, who at first was unsure if Jefferson was the person who threatened him, but then confirmed it was the same man.
The charge was filed September 22 in Hennepin County District Court.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies assault by degree under § 609.221 (first), § 609.222 (second), § 609.223 (third), § 609.2231 (fourth) and § 609.224 (fifth). First-degree assault, alleging great bodily harm, carries up to 20 years in prison. The lower degrees range from misdemeanor up to 10-year felony exposure depending on weapon use and harm.
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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 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
