A man sped away from Moorhead police after pointing a BB gun at someone supervising children on a playground and pulling the trigger, according to charges.
Taylor James Meyer, who was 33 at the time, faces felony charges of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and threats of violence-reckless disregard risk.
According to the complaint, law enforcement from the Moorhead Police Department responded to a call at about 1 p.m. on April 21, regarding a male with a BB gun in a parking lot on 4th Avenue South in Moorhead. A complainant told officers that a man wearing an orange vest, black hood and red cap was firing a BB gun in the parking lot.
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An officer arrived and saw a man, later identified as Meyer, rummaging through a gray Infiniti Q40 with North Dakota plates. Meyer was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans.
As Meyer got into the vehicle, the officer told him to stop, but Meyer quickly drove out of the parking lot, leaving clothing items on top of the car that flew off as he sped away. The officer confirmed with the registered owner that Meyer had the vehicle and matched him to photos in law enforcement databases.
The complainant told officers she saw Meyer pull something from his vehicle, hold it in a shooting position and heard a pop, which she believed was a BB gun. She also said another individual, the victim, had direct contact with Meyer.
The victim, who had taken students to the playground twice that day, told police he first saw two men near a red Dodge Dart with North Dakota plates, working on the vehicle as its alarm sounded. One of the men matched Meyer’s description. During the second recess, the victim saw the barrel of a rifle with a scope emerging from above the vehicles. He approached and asked the men to stop because of the children nearby.
According to the complaint, Meyer told the victim the rifle was not real and said he used it to kill squirrels, rats and cats. He then turned, pointed the rifle at the victim and pulled the trigger, making a pop sound. The victim described the rifle as having a gray stock, similar to a bolt-action .22 or a standard hunting rifle. The victim also saw Meyer change clothes in the parking lot before law enforcement arrived.
The victim said that as officers arrived, Meyer got into his vehicle and drove away at a high rate of speed, leaving items on top of the car. Another officer saw the gray Infiniti exit the parking lot quickly, with a black hoodie falling off the rear. The officer attempted a traffic stop with lights and sirens, but Meyer turned onto 8th Street South and then westbound onto 2nd Avenue South. The officer followed but ultimately terminated the pursuit.
The charges allege Meyer fled police in a motor vehicle and threatened the victim, in reckless disregard of the risk of causing terror, by pointing the BB gun at him and pulling the trigger.
The complaint was filed Oct. 1 in Clay County District Court.
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