A man fired a gun at people he had been arguing with outside a Saint Paul home on Sept. 29, prompting a police search that turned up multiple firearms, according to charges.
Phillip Curtis Robinson, 44, faces two felony counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in Ramsey County District Court.
According to the complaint, officers responded to the 1900 block of Upper Afton Road in Saint Paul at about 6:40 p.m. on Sept. 29 after reports that a neighbor had fired a shot during an argument. When officers arrived, they found several people yelling outside the residence and observed damage to two parked vehicles, including broken windows and blood on one of the vehicles.
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Multiple people at the scene told officers that Robinson had fired a gun at them during the dispute. Witnesses described an argument involving several people, including a woman who said she had gone to the home and argued with a resident. The confrontation escalated into a physical fight, and the woman used a railroad spike to break the windows of two vehicles before attempting to leave.
As she was getting into her vehicle, she reported hearing a gunshot and turned to see Robinson holding a firearm.
Another witness said one of the men in the group began fighting with Robinson. Robinson then ran inside the house, and as the group was leaving in a white Mitsubishi, a gunshot was heard. Witnesses did not see who fired the shot but said the sound appeared to come from the residence.
Robinson was arrested at the scene. In a statement to officers after being advised of his rights, Robinson denied firing a gun but said he had multiple firearms in the house. He said he had been cleaning a gun earlier but did not shoot it, and asked, “If nobody got hit, what’s the problem?” Officers obtained a search warrant and found four guns, ammunition and firearm accessories in Robinson’s bedroom and a wooden box, along with identification belonging to him.
A witness recorded part of the incident. According to the complaint, the video shows a white Mitsubishi SUV arriving and two men walking up to the residence, people yelling at each other, and a woman and two men getting into the Mitsubishi.
Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon carries up to seven years in prison under Minnesota law.
Robinson’s next court hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5.
Related MN CRIME Coverage
Saint Paul Man Charged in Apartment Gun Threat • Man Charged in Saint Paul Park Assault on Teen • Man Charged After Violent Garage Assault at Saint Paul Home
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.
