Man Charged with Firing at Drivers During Downtown Saint Paul Spree

Jun 24

A Saint Paul man is facing 14 felony charges including attempted murder, carjacking and assault with a firearm after authorities say he carried out a chaotic and violent crime spree across downtown.

Eric Deonta Hill, 36, is accused of pointing guns at drivers and rideshare passengers, firing a shot into a Jeep windshield, and attempting multiple carjackings before confronting police officers with a revolver.

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He was ultimately tackled and arrested near Kellogg Boulevard and Robert Street after allegedly raising the gun toward two Saint Paul officers.

The charges stem from a series of incidents that began around 9:23 p.m. on Friday, June 20. According to the criminal complaint, Hill first approached a driver waiting in his parked Nissan Altima on the 100 block of Avon Street. Hill reportedly lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun, pointed it at the driver, and ordered him out of the car. The victim complied, and Hill drove away in the stolen vehicle, which also contained the victim’s phone.

Minutes later, officers were called to Kellogg Boulevard and Robert Street for reports of a crash with injuries and gunfire. Investigators say Hill had crashed the stolen Altima into a Hyundai Kona, which then rear-ended a rideshare Infiniti QX60 stopped at a red light. Hill allegedly exited the Altima holding a silver handgun and began threatening multiple people.

The driver of the Infiniti, who was working for Lyft and had five passengers, said Hill pointed a gun at him and his riders while demanding they exit the vehicle. After the group fled on foot, Hill took the driver’s two phones and ran from the scene.

The woman driving the Hyundai told police Hill also pointed a gun at her before moving toward other nearby vehicles. Witnesses in multiple cars said Hill banged on windows with a revolver, demanded wallets, and fired at least one shot into the air.

Video surveillance confirmed the events, showing Hill exiting the Altima, pointing a gun at surrounding vehicles and at one point firing into the windshield of a Jeep containing two people. One of the occupants told police Hill pulled the trigger three times, with the third pull discharging a bullet that struck the windshield. Hill also allegedly tried to open the Jeep’s driver-side door before the vehicle sped away.

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Two Saint Paul officers responding in an unmarked vehicle said they encountered Hill in traffic. He reportedly raised a silver revolver and pointed it directly at them as they passed within feet of him. When they stopped and ordered him to drop the weapon, Hill complied but then fled on foot. One officer recovered a five-shot revolver with three spent casings, while the other officer tackled Hill and took him into custody.

Inside the stolen Altima, officers recovered a stolen Glock handgun in slide-lock position and two spent shell casings. The revolver Hill discarded was also loaded with one live round. Police say Hill appeared to be under the influence of drugs at the time of his arrest and that a blood sample was taken under warrant.

Hill is charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder for allegedly firing at the occupants of the Jeep. He is also charged with carjacking, attempted carjacking, first-degree aggravated robbery, five counts of second-degree assault with a firearm, and two counts of illegal firearm possession by a prohibited person.

Authorities say Hill had seven prior felony convictions, including three for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person, as well as assault, theft and receiving stolen property. He also had an active warrant for absconding from the Minnesota Department of Corrections at the time of the incident.

Hill’s bail is set at $5 million without conditions. He is expected to make his first court appearance Tuesday morning. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on several charges, including attempted murder, aggravated robbery and carjacking. The remaining charges carry maximum sentences ranging from 7 to 15 years.

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