An 18-year-old man whose accomplice was shot to death when they forced their way into a St. Paul house was charged with first-degree aggravated robbery Friday in what police described as a botched attempt to steal illegal drugs from the home.
Loren L. Land, who was in the Ramsey County jail Friday in lieu of $25,000 bail, was one of two armed men who invaded a home on Fuller Avenue near Milton Street shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday, authorities said.
Investigators said Land used an assault rifle and Brice Moore, 17, used a handgun to hold two men hostage while searching for illegal drugs.
Resident Craig Trottier, 20, was able to wrestle away Land's rifle in the living room. After a brief chase, Trottier fired at Land, who ran out the back door. He was arrested by police nearby.
Meanwhile Trottier, who shared the home with James Perrin, 20, went upstairs and found Moore aiming a gun at Perrin's head.
Trottier told investigators that Moore pointed the gun at him when he entered the room, so he shot Moore several times, according to the criminal complaint filed Friday by the county attorney's office.
Perrin, who was standing next to Moore when the shots were fired, grabbed Moore's wrist to prevent him from firing, the complaint said. The fallen man was still pointing the gun at Perrin, Trottier told police, so he shot Moore to make him drop the gun.
The county attorney's office said Friday afternoon that Trottier, who was held in jail overnight for questioning, would not be charged in the shooting because he was defending himself and someone else.
