UPS package theft at Maplewood house escalates to gunfire: Charges
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A 19-year-old St. Paul man is facing a felony robbery charge for allegedly stealing a package from a UPS driver that resulted in an exchange of gunfire at a Maplewood home in April.
According to court records, police responded to a shooting in Maplewood on April 19 in the 2300 block of Pond Avenue East. At the scene, authorities found a house with bullet damage to the siding and windows, a shattered front door, and a bullet hole in a parked car’s windshield.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured the events leading to the gunfire. Court records say a UPS driver is seen approaching the house with a package when an armed man in a white sweatshirt approaches, forcefully takes the packages, and flees toward a parked BMW.
The man waiting for the package had the door partially open and saw the event unfold. Charges allege he took out a gun and fired at least twice in the direction of the person who stole the package.
The criminal complaint explains the situation further escalated when two people exited the BMW and allegedly returned fire at the house. All three men got in the car and fled the scene.
Weeks later, authorities located the BMW believed to be involved in the incident and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver, identified as Nasir Latrell Jones, fled and crashed the vehicle.
Law enforcement recovered a 9mm handgun from the vehicle, which they say was a ballistic match to the discharged cartridge casings recovered at the scene. Additionally, authorities found glass shards inside the car, which matched the footage showing a shattered window during the exchange of gunfire, according to the complaint.
Investigators also reportedly obtained cellphone video taken on April 19 allegedly showing the suspect, whom authorities identified as Jones, wearing the same white hoodie seen in the surveillance footage of the package theft, according to court records.
The criminal complaint filed Tuesday indicates Jones was charged via warrant with one count of first-degree aggravated robbery. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
