Prosecutors claim that a domestic-related incident at a St. Paul apartment on Tuesday became dangerous for a police officer when a man pulled a loaded pistol inches from the officer’s face.
Officer Andy Heroux of St. Paul thought the pistol was about to discharge as he struggled for it. According to a criminal complaint submitted on Thursday, Heroux “turned his head and closed his eyes anticipating the gunshot,” but the revolver did not discharge.
Charged with second-degree assault with a deadly weapon is Allen Denzell Oliver-Hall, 27, of St. Paul.
Heroux was able to wrestle the gun away from Oliver-Hall and fling it across the living room floor during the fight. Until a second cop came and placed him in handcuffs, the first police kept him down.
According to the criminal complaint, the pistol had a bullet in the chamber.
Around 3:20 p.m., Heroux was sent to the apartment complex at 1553 Timberlake Road, which is south of Wheelock Parkway and slightly west of Interstate 35E, for what was first thought to be a custody exchange.
Oliver-girlfriend, Hall’s KA, who is mentioned in the complaint, said that he had shouted and damaged property at her flat earlier in the day. He had a sofa blocking the front entrance, according to her, and was intoxicated. She departed with her son.
Heroux was informed by KA that she had returned to the flat to grab further possessions but was unable to enter because her keys were inside. According to the lawsuit, KA and her aunt requested Heroux’s assistance in “getting KA back into her apartment, to make sure Oliver-Hall was OK, and to make sure it was safe for her to return.”
Oliver-Hall granted Heroux entry while claiming that he was a visitor to KA and did not reside there. Heroux assumed he was still intoxicated due to his bloodshot, watery eyes and alcohol-scented breath. Oliver-Hall repeatedly requested Heroux to leave so he could retrieve his belongings, but the police insisted that KA wanted him to remain in the flat with him. Oliver-Hall was persuaded to depart with Heroux in order to ensure KA’s security. He concurred.
Oliver-Hall moved over to a couch, sat down, and said he wasn’t going back to jail. According to the lawsuit, Heroux informed him that his only intention was to provide him with transportation, not to send him to jail.
According to the complaint, Oliver-Hall continually threatened to leave whenever Heroux turned away for a little period of time, which made the officer think he was trying to divert attention and hide something. Heroux requested that another unit respond from dispatch.
Heroux then noticed a handgun’s barrel protruding from between Oliver-knees. Hall’s
Oliver-Hall was grabbed by Officer Heroux after realizing his life was in danger; Oliver-Hall was told to keep his hands up, according to the lawsuit.
Oliver-Hall pulled the revolver inches from Heroux’s face before grabbing it. Then, after tackling Oliver-Hall, he grasped the gun’s barrel. They came to rest on the sofa.
The lawsuit claims that Oliver-Hall screamed, “The gun is loaded!” while keeping his finger close to the trigger of the firearm. According to the lawsuit, Heroux thought Oliver-Hall would shoot him if he gained possession of the pistol and felt like it was going to go off.
When instructed to surrender the firearm, Oliver-Hall allegedly refused. The gun was eventually taken from him by Heroux, who then threw it. Oliver-Hall attempted to stand up, but Heroux restrained him on the couch with his weight until the second officer arrived.
According to the lawsuit, Oliver-Hall may not be allowed to own weapons because of a past felony conviction for residential burglary that occurred outside of Illinois. Shortly after becoming 18 years old, he received a sentence on that conviction.
In lieu of a $200,000 bond, Oliver-Hall remained in custody on Thursday at the Ramsey County Jail. He is due to appear in court for the first time over the charge on Friday morning.
