Ramsey County Attorney charges man who allegedly fired at St. Paul officers during pursuit

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has charged a 26-year-old man with second degree attempted murder, after he allegedly fired a rifle multiple times at a St. Paul police officer late Monday.

Samuel Flowers faces seven other charges — including for first-degree use of deadly force against a police officer, drive-by shooting, fleeing police and illegal possession of a firearm. He is barred from possessing firearms, due to criminal convictions from 2017 for involvement in a drive-by shooting and first-degree assault.

The police department says an officer attempted to stop Flowers for speeding on University Avenue around 11 p.m. Monday, but Flowers fled and led police in a car chase. During the pursuit, Flowers allegedly shot at an officer and eventually crashed into a parked car on Fuller Avenue. He tried to walk away, but was arrested. No serious injuries were reported.

Inside the car, officers allegedly found a bag of cocaine, ammunition and an “AR-style rifle” that was reported stolen in 2018. Flowers faces charges of drug possession and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The officer was not struck by gunfire, although a bullet fragment was later recovered from the flattened front tire of the squad car, according to the criminal complaint. It states that the sound of as many as 17 gunshots can be heard on the officer’s squad video.

After being booked at an adult detention center, Flowers was brought to the hospital for a medical evaluation — where he allegedly refused to comply with a warrant for a blood or urine sample. That refusal led prosecutors to add a gross misdemeanor charge for failing to comply with the warrant. Officers had obtained that warrant because Flowers allegedly showed signs of apparent intoxication. Flowers was evaluated for injuries and discharged from the hospital.

Flowers is set to appear in Ramsey County District Court Thursday morning. Prosecutors asked the court to set his bail at $10 million.

He was already charged with felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition last May. Court documents say he had a gun eight days after being released from prison.

Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement that Flowers’ actions endangered Flowers’ own life, the lives of officers and those in the nearby vicinity. “We will do everything in our power to hold him accountable for this egregious behavior,” he said.