Andrew Thomas Faces Federal Charge After Allegedly Shooting At Minnesota National Guard Members

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis man faces a federal charge after allegedly shooting at a Minnesota National Guard vehicle in north Minneapolis Sunday.

Andrew Thomas, 28, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint.

The incident occurred Sunday morning at the intersection of Penn and Broadway avenues. A shooter, now alleged to be Thomas, fired multiple shots at a team of Minnesota National Guard members inside of a vehicle.

(credit: Hennepin County)

Two soldiers received minor injuries; one was taken to the hospital after being cut by shattered glass and another was treated at the scene.

The shooter's vehicle -- a two-toned Ford Explorer with tinted windows and a bike rack -- was caught on surveillance cameras, according to the complaint.

Just before 10 p.m. Sunday, a Minneapolis police patrol spotted a vehicle matching the surveillance images near Sixth Street and Cedar Avenue in south Minneapolis.

The officers followed the car, and the complaint alleges the driver made "evasive maneuvers, veering in and out of lanes."

Police pulled the vehicle over and Thomas and a juvenile got out. The juvenile told police there was a gun in the car.

While searching the vehicle, police found two guns -- a semi-automatic 9mm pistol and a .22 caliber revolver, the complaint states. They also found discharged cartridge casings.

Analysis of those casings and the casings from the Sunday morning shooting showed a match, according to the complaint.

Thomas was convicted of third-degree assault in Hennepin County in 2017. He's scheduled to appear in court on his federal charge Tuesday morning.

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