ST PAUL, Minn — A St. Paul man is facing decades in prison for allegedly shooting at a Ramsey County deputy during a pursuit in early March.
Trevion Figgs, 20, was charged Thursday with second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault of an officer by attempting to use deadly force after prosecutors say he fired multiple rounds at a deputy.
The incident began when officers with the St. Paul Police Department noticed a Honda Accord driving erratically on the night of March 1, according to charging documents.
The officers began a pursuit before activating their squad's lights and sirens but lost sight of the Accord when it turned south from Jessamine Avenue onto Greenbrier Street.
A short time later, a Ramsey County deputy located the Accord on the East side of St. Paul and began a pursuit after watching the Accord run a red light at Payne Avenue and Seventh Street, according to the document.
The Accord allegedly made a series of turns and began traveling east on Euclid Street before the front seat passenger leaned out of the car, sat on the doorframe and fired a tan-colored assault rifle at the deputy.
The deputy stopped his car and did not see which direction the Accord fled in. He was taken to Regions Hospital for minor injuries and two bullet fragments were recovered from the floor of his squad car, according to the document.
Officers later found the Accord parked in an alley behind a St. Paul home and had it towed to an impound lot.
Surveillance video from a neighbor's home showed the Accord in the alley behind Pacific Street around 10:50 p.m. and captured two people running east in the alley after the car passed by.
Officers executed a search warrant on the Accord and found two spent rifle casings in the car and paperwork showing a minor was in the process of purchasing it.
An investigation showed the minor had a close relationship with Figgs.
On March 8, investigators received information from Figgs' Snapchat account and found a picture of Figgs holding a tan rifle consistent with the one described by the deputy. According to court documents, the picture came from an account associated with the minor.
DNA evidence taken from the surface of the casing recovered on the street likely linked Figgs as a contributor, according to the charging sheet.
An anonymous tipster contacted CrimeStoppers and said Figgs' mother said her son shot at the deputy.
Officers arrested Figgs on March 13 at a home in St. Paul and recovered a tan rifle, a handgun, a debit card in the minor's name and loose ammunition, according to the document. Shortly after Figgs' arrest, police say the minor turned himself in. The aunt of the minor told police that he told her that he'd stolen the car from his stepfather and was involved in the shooting. However, when speaking to police, the minor denied having any association with the shooting, telling police he was "being accused of something he didn't do."
When Figgs was asked by investigators why his mother told someone he had shot at an officer, he allegedly told officers his mother might have been intoxicated.
When Figgs was told of surveillance footage of him running in the alley on March 1, Figgs said he was pretty sure he was in his house. He also allegedly dismissed the photo of him holding the tan assault rifle and asked "So I'm going down for what? Gun possession?"
When investigators told Figgs they wanted to know why it happened, why it was worth it to fire at the deputy over a traffic stop, Figgs allegedly said "Why? If you're going to put me in jail for the rest of my life anyway..."
Figgs had his first court appearance Friday, where a judge set his bail at $1 million. His next court date is an omnibus hearing scheduled for April 3.
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