A man shot and wounded Friday by St. Paul police has been charged with second-degree assault and fleeing police in a motor vehicle.
Brandon G. Christopher, 19, of Maplewood, who was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court, was wanted on an arrest warrant for a probation violation at the time of the shooting and faced a year in the county workhouse.
According to the complaint, Officer Michael Tschida spotted a car about 5:09 p.m. Friday with a broken-out passenger window. Tschida turned his marked squad around and attempted to stop the car, but the driver turned off his lights and fled.
Police said the 8-mile pursuit reached speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. The driver slowed around Como Avenue and Dale Street, where a passenger in the suspect car bailed out, the charges said. Officers then deployed stop sticks.
The vehicle came to a rolling stop around Woodbridge Street and Front Avenue, striking a parked vehicle. Tschida shouted commands to Christopher, who was allegedly sitting in the driver's seat. Christopher opened the door and Tschida saw a "large silver gun" in his right hand, the complaint said.
"Officers Tschida and [Darin] McDonald, in fear for their lives, fired upon the suspect after the suspect pointed the firearm toward the officers and failed to drop the gun from his hand," the complaint said.
A 6-inch silver Ruger New Vaquero .357 Magnum handgun was recovered from the vehicle, the complaint said.
Police said that Christopher was shot three times and taken to Regions Hospital. He had a hearing Monday on the probation violation and was taken into custody.
