Charges: Teen was fleeing police in vehicle when accomplice shot at Ramsey County deputy

A 17-year-old has been charged with attempted murder and other counts for allegedly serving as the getaway driver fleeing police when his accomplice fired at a Ramsey County deputy.

Ramsey County prosecutors charged Devon Ronnie Shack on Friday with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, drive-by shooting and fleeing police. His first court appearance at the Ramsey County Juvenile and Family Justice Center was Friday. He’ll be held at the juvenile detention center until his next hearing on March 22. Prosecutors have signaled their intention to try Shack as an adult.

Charges say Shack is accused of driving the Honda Accord that evaded St. Paul police on March 1 after it was noticed speeding and driving erratically. Ramsey County deputy Joe Kill spotted the vehicle later that night on St. Paul’s East Side and began to pursue it. The Accord continued to flee through several turns before a front seat passenger wearing a face mask “leaned out of the Accord, sat on the door frame and fired a tan colored assault rifle at deputy Kill, who was 25 to 30 yards behind the Accord.”

Kill swerved in his squad car, stopped and took cover under the driver compartment as the Accord continued to flee. Shrapnel from the bullets fired at the squad car struck Kill in the collarbone area.

After receiving an anonymous tip, police arrested 20-year-old Trevion Figgs, who was charged Thursday with with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault and drive-by shooting.

According to Friday’s charges, a neighbor’s security camera recorded two people running in the alley where the Honda was abandoned. Authorities impounded the car, and, with a warrant, searched it and found two spent .223 casings on the right side —one in the front and one in the back. Paperwork showed Shack was in the process of buying the car. They traced it to Shack’s former stepfather, who recently purchased the car. He claimed to have left the vehicle with Shack the night of March 1.

Police searched Shack’s home and talked to his mother, who said her son stays with others and that she does not approve of his behavior. She said lately Shack has spent time with a cousin named “Tavion” or “Travion,” adding that her son called on March 12 telling her he’s in trouble. He did not say why.

Investigators also searched Figgs’ Snapchat account, where an account believed to be Shack’s sent Figgs a photo that depicted Figgs wearing a black face mask and holding a tan assault rifle like the one Kill described. DNA swabs from the shell casings showed Figgs was a possible contributor.

In custody, Shack said he turned himself in “because he was being accused of something he didn’t do.” He claimed to know nothing about how his Honda ended up in that alley. When asked where he went with the car after his stepfather gave it to him, Shack answered that he drove it to his cousin’s house to work on a song.

Shack said he did not shoot anybody and suggested someone stole the car. When investigators asked who, Shack said, “Which car? I was in the alley and I went to go use the bathroom.”

When asked about his relationship with Figgs, Shack stopped speaking with police, charges said.

At one point while Figgs was being questioned, investigators said “they wanted to know why it happened —why it was worth it to fire an assault rifle at the deputy over a traffic stop,” charges said, when Figgs responded “Why? If you’re going to put me in jail for the rest of my life anyway....” He then said he wasn’t going to admit to something he didn’t do.