Neighbor's Shotgun Blast Blamed on 'Diabetic Reaction'

FILE PHOTO

A Saint Paul man faces several charges after allegedly firing a shotgun during a dispute with a neighbor earlier this month over a dog, then blaming the gunshot on a diabetic episode.

On June 2, 2023, Saint Paul officers responded to a neighbor dispute over a dog on the 1500 block of Marion Street after a man involved—Jamison John Stewart, 45—allegedly fired a shotgun.

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According to court records, the victim was house-sitting for a friend when the friend’s dog ran away. He tried to chase down the dog outside and then saw another person, identified as “LK” in the documents, take the dog. The victim followed the person with the dog to the residence on Marion Street, where Stewart allegedly then emerged from the home with a shotgun, fired it once into the air and said something like, “that’s a warning shot.”

Stewart is accused of pointing the shotgun at the victim before going back inside the residence. The victim took a photo of the suspect holding what appeared to be a long gun, the documents said.

Officers spoke with Stewart, who denied involvement in the incident. Officers obtained a search warrant and recovered a Stevens 12-gauge shotgun behind a chair in the living room at Stewart’s residence.

When questioned, Stewart claimed he was having a “diabetic reaction” and was transported to the hospital. He admitted having the shotgun but didn’t recall firing it into the air, the documents said. Other witnesses reported hearing a gunshot but there was no apparent damage.

Stewart has several felony drug convictions that make him ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition. The ownership of the dog has not been proven, the court documents said. He’s now charged with 2nd-degree assault, a felony, and two counts of ineligible possession for the early June incident.

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