Man Convicted of Murder Allegedly Pointed Gun at Oakdale Cops
BY MN CRIME STAFF
A 37-year-old man who was convicted as a teenager in his father’s 2004 shooting death is now facing multiple charges after allegedly pointing a firearm at Oakdale officers late last week.
According to a criminal complaint, Dallas T. Wright, of Plymouth, was arrested early Thursday, Dec. 18 after Oakdale police responded to reports of an unwanted person at an apartment building in the 6900 block of 10th Street North.
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Officers said Wright fled when they attempted to make contact, running from the building and into a nearby parking lot and roadway before displaying what officers recognized as a firearm with a green laser attached and pointing it toward two officers during the pursuit.
The complaint states one officer believed he was about to be shot and drew his service weapon while Wright continued to flee. Wright was ultimately taken into custody in a nearby parking lot. Officers later recovered two loaded handguns with weapon-mounted lights and lasers in the snow along the route of the foot chase, including a Smith & Wesson 10mm handgun that investigators say was taken without permission from the apartment where the initial call originated.
Prosecutors have charged Wright with two counts of first-degree assault involving the use of deadly force against a peace officer, two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a violent crime and one count of felony theft of a firearm. The most serious charge carries a potential sentence of 20 years in prison.
Court records show Wright is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his earlier homicide conviction. In that case, Wright was fifteen years old when authorities say he shot and killed his father, Norman R. Wright Jr., outside the family’s home near Askov. He was later convicted of second-degree murder and given a 15-year prison sentence as an adult in 2008 after a first-degree murder charge was dismissed.
In the current case, investigators say the woman who contacted 911 initially hesitated to identify herself out of fear but later told officers Wright refused to leave her apartment. She reported one of her firearms missing after Wright fled, and police confirmed the recovered handgun matched her weapon by serial number.
Wright made an initial court appearance Friday where unconditional bail was set at $375,000, or $150,000 with conditions. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 2026.
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