Man shot at by Minneapolis cop is charged with assault, gun possession

A teenager who was fired at by a Minneapolis police officer last week after authorities say he refused to drop his gun has been charged in connection with the incident.

Antonio Rule, 18, is expected to make his initial court appearance on Tuesday afternoon on charges of second-degree assault and possession of a firearm by an adjudicated delinquent, according to authorities. Prosecutor said they plan to ask that bail be set at $140,000.

No attorney is listed for Rule in court records.

Police say an officer fired a single shot at Rule during a foot pursuit, after coming face-to-face with the teen, who was standing with his gun drawn and apparently pointed in the officer's direction. No one was injured in the incident.

The officer, whose identity hasn't been made public, remains on administrative leave, in keeping with department policy for officers who fire their weapons on duty.

Shortly after 7 p.m., officers encountered a group of men milling about on N. Lowry Avenue near Aldrich Avenue, obstructing traffic, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in Hennepin County District court. As officers approached, police say that Rule moved his hands toward his waistband and turned to run, ignoring multiple commands to stop.

The unidentified officer searching a row of homes on 30th Avenue caught up to Rule, who emerged from behind one of the homes, with a handgun drawn and "was pointing it at the officer," the complaint said. "The officer indicated he feared for his life and the officer fired on shot at the Defendant," it read.

The incident recalled the shooting of Thurman Blevins, a 31-year-old black man who was killed during a brief foot chase on the city's north side last July. The two officers involved were later cleared of wrongdoing, citing body camera footage that showed Blevins with a handgun. Like in the Blevins shooting, Friday's incident was captured on the officer's body camera, police said.

Police said that Rule dropped the weapon, but took off again before he was arrested a short time later. In an interview with detectives later, he said that the gun was his and that he'd bought it for protection, according to the complaint.

When asked about the moment when the officer fired his gun, Rule reportedly said, "I guess he thought I was aiming my gun at him."

A Police Department spokesman on Monday confirmed that an internal affairs investigation into the incident is ongoing.

"Obviously, we're very happy that he decided to drop the gun," department spokesman John Elder said of Rule. "No officer goes out during their shift and wants to harm anyone or be involved in an officer-involved shooting."

In that case, court records show that Rule gave a detective permission to search his phone for any clues about the alleged shooter's identity. But, prosecutors say, the detective found search terms such as "best semi-auto rifles 2017" and discount handguns" on his internet search history, and later discovered photos of Rule holding guns and ammunition. He was later charged with possession of a firearm by a minor. Rule's attorney later tried to get the case dismissed on the grounds that the evidence was obtained through an illegal search, but a judge disagreed, the records show.

He also was also charged with robbery by an adjudicated delinquent earlier this year, making it illegal for him to possess a firearm, prosecutors say.