A Minneapolis man pointed a handgun at a utility crew member in his backyard on Sept. 28 as workers tried to access a gas meter, prompting a SWAT response and his arrest, according to charges.
Brian Levon Cobb, 45, faces three felony charges: second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, threats of violence and possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime of violence.
According to the complaint, officers responded to a single-family home on the 3400 block of Thomas Avenue North in Minneapolis after reports that an occupant was making threats with a gun. An off-duty officer working security for a utility crew was already on scene and advised that Cobb was refusing to exit the home. SWAT surrounded the residence, and after about 45 minutes, Cobb surrendered and was taken into custody.
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Investigators spoke with several witnesses, including the victim, who was working with the utility crew. The victim said he was assisting a crew with utility work in front of Cobb’s home and accompanied a plumber to the backyard to access the gas meter.
While at the meter, Cobb came outside, yelling at the workers about being in his yard and pointed a handgun directly at the victim, with another crew member standing nearby. The victim, who was armed, did not draw his weapon.
The second victim, a plumber, told officers he was working on the gas meter when Cobb appeared with a silver handgun and started yelling. He said Cobb had also yelled at the crew the previous week. The plumber reported that he had rung Cobb’s doorbell earlier that day to inform him about accessing the backyard.
The off-duty officer working security said he was standing in front of the residence when he heard arguing and looked over the fence. He saw Cobb holding a black and silver handgun and yelling. The officer drew his firearm and gave Cobb commands to drop the gun, positioning himself between Cobb and the utility workers. Cobb then turned and walked back into his home.
The crew foreman told police he had spoken to Cobb the previous week about the planned work on the gas meter. Although Cobb was upset about the noise, he had agreed to the work. All utility employees were wearing bright red hard hats and high-visibility vests, and the block had multiple utility trucks, trailers and large backhoes, as well as a large, deep hole in front of the property.
Officers obtained a search warrant for the home and found a silver Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun in the kitchen near the rear door. A member of the utility crew identified it as the gun Cobb pointed at the workers.
In a post-Miranda interview, Cobb admitted knowing crews were working in the area and said he had spoken to them within the hour. He claimed he was having lunch when he heard banging on the side of his house and went outside, stating the situation escalated but that he was the victim.
The complaint notes Cobb was convicted of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2008 in Florida, making it illegal for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
The charges were filed Sept. 30 in Hennepin County District Court.
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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.
