A Saint Paul man threatened to stab and choke a woman to death, then tried to break into a secured building with a large knife as security guards watched, according to charges.
Anthony Brina Code, 49, faces three felony charges: attempted first-degree burglary with a dangerous weapon, threats of violence and fifth-degree drug possession.
According to the complaint, officers were called to a shelter in Saint Paul at about 8 p.m. on October 2 after a report of a man with a knife threatening to kill people. A security guard told officers he saw Code with a large knife sticking out of his jacket pocket. The guard said Code was initially calm but became agitated when talking about a woman who lived in the building, complaining he had waited 22 hours for her to let him in.
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Code told the guard, “You won’t be able to stop me. I am going to stab and choke her to death.” The complaint states Code then walked across the street, jumped a fence and began violently kicking the glass entrance doors of the building. He pulled out his knife and tried to pry the doors open. Security guards, concerned for their safety, retreated inside and called police while other guards drew their tasers.
When officers arrived, they ordered Code to the ground. Code got to his knees but did not comply with further commands, so officers tackled him, used ASR spray and eventually handcuffed him. Officers recovered the large knife from Code and noted scratch marks on the doors where he had used the knife.
After Code complained of a leg injury, he was taken to Regions Hospital and medically cleared. During a search, officers found a small bag of suspected methamphetamine in his jacket pocket. Code claimed the coat was put on him at the hospital, but officers noted he was wearing it at the time of his arrest. The bag tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed 2.35 grams.
The complaint says Code has four prior felony convictions, including three for predatory offender violations and one for third-degree burglary.
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Saint Paul Woman Charged After 4.8 Pounds of Meth, Gun Found • Man Charged After Chase in Stolen U of M Van • Saint Paul Man Charged After Armed Break-In, Attempted BMW Theft
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.
