Charges: Man Threatened Wife With Gun Over Cell Phone
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 37-year-old South St. Paul man is facing charges after allegedly shooting his wife's cellphone, then pointing a gun at her during an argument earlier this week, according to charges filed in Dakota County Court.
Jesse Robert Larson was charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of threats of violence in connection with the incident, which happened last Sunday.
According to the charges, South St. Paul police responded at about 11:10 a.m. to a domestic disturbance. Officers were advised that a female caller at the residence said a man was going crazy and had a gun. The woman also said the man, later identified as Larson, had fired a gunshot into the cellphone inside the residence.
When officers arrived, they got three people out of the residence safely and found a damaged cell phone.
The charges state the woman told police she and Larson were going through a divorce. She said he came to the residence and demanded to see her cellphone. She refused, he became angry and said if she didn't let him see it he would "blow it up."
The complaint states he then grabbed the phone, took his gun out and shot it. She said he then pointed the gun at her, then put it in his mouth and pulled the trigger twice. The woman was eventually able to get the gun from Larson and unload it. She gave it to officers when they arrived.
Larson was arrested, and didn't provide a statement.
If convicted, Larson faces up to 17 years in prison and $34,000 in fines.
