ST PAUL, Minn. — A 16-year-old is facing two weapons charges in Ramsey County juvenile court in a case prosecutors believe is connected to the shooting outside a St. Paul recreation center Friday night.
According to a juvenile petition filed Tuesday, the teenager was charged with possessing a machine gun and possessing a gun while under the age of 18 after he was found with a weapon minutes after three teenagers were shot outside the celebration of life event for Devin Scott.
The teen is not formally charged with any direct involvement in Friday night's shooting.
The petition details a timeline of events starting with the shooting at the El Rio Vista rec center and a nearby car crash shortly afterward, where witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing two males get out of the car and run.
Soon after, officers noticed a teenager running about 0.4 miles away from the crash scene, court documents say.
The teen stopped when commanded by officers, offered a fake name and said he was coming from the direction of the car accident, the petition said. Officers noticed an object in the teen's front pocket that resembled a pistol, and after conducting a safety pat the teen admitted he had a firearm in his pocket, the charges said. However, he denied being involved in the drive-by shooting at the rec center.
Officers removed the gun, which was found to be fully automatic with a single-trigger function. The teen also eventually provided his real name.
His first court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Separate court documents show an arrest warrant was issued for the 16-year-old two days before the shooting in connection to another case, where the teen had violated the conditions of his release after pleading guilty to possessing a gun while under the age of 18 in Oct. 2022.
Three male teenagers, a 14, 16 and 17-year-old, were hospitalized with gunshot injuries to their lower extremities during the violence on Friday night, St. Paul Police said. The injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening.
Mourners had gathered at the rec center that night to remember 15-year-old Devin Scott, who was stabbed and killed at Harding High School on Feb. 10.
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