A Crystal man is accused of pulling a pistol on a 15-year-old boy over a jacket at a Maplewood home, then threatening to shoot him and leading police on a chase into Minneapolis, according to a criminal complaint.
Shawn Mason Johnson, 18, faces three felony charges: first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fleeing police in a motor vehicle. The complaint was filed Oct. 6 in Ramsey County District Court, and bail was set at $200,000.
According to the complaint, Maplewood officers were called at about 6:34 p.m. on Oct. 5 to a report of a gun being pointed at someone. The boy told officers that Johnson, who does not live at the home, came into his room, swore at him and tried to get him to fight, then grabbed one of his jackets and said he would keep it.
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When the boy pulled the jacket back, Johnson took a gun from his fanny pack and pointed it at him, the complaint says. The boy, who thought he was about to be shot, knocked the gun down. Johnson put it away and punched him in the stomach as he tried to leave the room.
Johnson then waited in his car outside. When a man arrived to pick the boy up, Johnson pulled up beside them, pointed the gun at the boy and said, “I’ll blow a hole through your b**** a**,” according to the complaint. The two followed Johnson’s car to a gas station but stopped because they were afraid of being shot.
A Roseville officer later spotted the car on Highway 36 and tried to stop it near Larpenteur Avenue and Mackubin Street. The driver sped away, and the chase of about 3.1 miles ended in a construction area in downtown Minneapolis, where Johnson ran from the car and was caught by Metro Transit officers, the complaint says.
Officers found a loaded Taurus PT-22 pistol in his front pants pocket and recovered the gray jacket, according to the complaint. Johnson declined to be interviewed.
The aggravated robbery count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $35,000 fine or both, according to the complaint.
