A Saint Paul man threatened to kill the victim while holding a handgun and was found with two loaded firearms in a car outside an apartment building, according to charges.
Dandre Shawn Pernell, 20, faces two felony counts of possessing a firearm or ammunition after a conviction for a crime of violence and one felony count of threats of violence.
According to the complaint, officers responded to the 1300 block of Davern Street in Saint Paul at about 10:07 p.m. on September 29 after a report that the caller’s boyfriend was destroying items in the apartment and was armed with a gun. Officers were told the suspect was sitting in a red Ford in the parking lot.
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Officers found Dandre Shawn Pernell inside a red Ford Fusion and arrested him. The victim walked out of the apartment and told officers Pernell had become upset during an argument. While she was in the bathroom, Pernell stormed in holding a handgun, kicked a cabinet and told her that if she was not going to be with him, he would kill her and himself.
The victim texted 911 for help. Pernell grabbed her phone to see who she was contacting, then tossed it aside after seeing the 911 message. He then grabbed his guns and car keys and went down to the car. The victim told officers Pernell had both a handgun and a larger firearm, and that the vehicle belonged to her but was registered to her grandmother.
Officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded silver and black .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun with a scratched-off serial number in the center console, loaded with a round in the chamber. They also found a loaded Extar-EXP556 5.56 rifle wrapped in a blanket in the back seat, with live ammunition in the magazine. The keys to the vehicle were found inside on the floor next to the driver’s door.
After being advised of his rights, Pernell told police the argument began after the victim received a message from a fake account accusing him of cheating. He admitted to punching a hole in the wall out of frustration but denied anything physical happened between them. Pernell claimed he did not know about the firearms in the vehicle and said the car was not his and he did not have access to it. The victim told officers she had never touched the firearms.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for a DNA sample from Pernell. During follow-up questions, the victim said she believed Pernell might seriously injure or kill her, depending on his mood.
The complaint says Pernell was previously adjudicated of a crime of violence and is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Pernell was scheduled to make a first court appearance on Thursday, October 1.
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Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; Ramsey County Community Corrections operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
