A St. Paul man fired multiple gunshots Monday in a parking lot at Como Lake, using a bystander's car to steady one shot, according to charges filed Tuesday.

Matrix R. Lee, 50, fired at a fleeing motorist who he thought had broken into his car. He is charged in Ramsey County District Court with dangerous discharge of a firearm and reckless discharge of a firearm.

According to the complaint: Lee and his wife were sitting on a bench watching the ducks on the lake when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement near his vehicle. Lee's car was parked in the lot by Black Bear Crossing, and his wife's purse was on the front seat in plain view.

Lee saw a white car parked next to the passenger side of his car. He then saw a woman get out of his car carrying his wife's purse, the complaint said. The woman got into the driver's seat of the white car.

"Lee immediately got up and ran towards the woman in an attempt to get his wife's purse back," the charges said.

The woman drove at Lee, the complaint said, and continued through the lot as Lee yelled at her to stop. The woman lifted her arm in the air and gestured.

"Lee could not see if she had anything in her hand and was afraid he was going to be shot," the charges said. "Lee grabbed his .40 [caliber] Smith and Wesson handgun, inserted a full magazine into the gun, and fired around at the fleeing vehicle. Lee ran towards the fleeing car and saw the drive raise her right hand and give him the middle finger. Lee was angry and fired an additional shot at the car."

One witness told police that she was backing out of a parking space when she heard a "pop." The witness stopped her car assuming that she had popped a tire. That's when she noticed the white car "screaming out of the parking lot" and speeding north on Lexington Parkway, the complaint said.

"A man ran up to [the witness'] car, used the hood of her car to take a steady shooting platform, and fired one round at the fleeing white car," the charges said.

"You [expletive]!" Lee yelled at the fleeing car.

Lee later told police that he must have left his car doors unlocked, and that he was trying to shoot the white car's tires.

He was issued a permit to carry a pistol on May 6, 2014. The permit and Lee's handgun were confiscated by police, who found two spent casings in the parking lot.

Lee was arrested Monday afternoon and remains in custody.