Man Charged After Firing 30 Shots in Saint Paul Public Housing
A 42-year-old Saint Paul man faces five felony charges after a shooting spree inside a public housing apartment building.
Jason Simms Carter, 42, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of intentional discharge of a firearm that endangered safety, and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm in a public housing zone.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five to seven years in prison.
Police responded to multiple 911 calls around 7:45 p.m. on December 22nd, reporting gunshots on the ninth floor of an apartment building on Ada Street. Officers discovered numerous spent shell casings and bullet holes throughout the hallway, leading them to Carter's apartment. Initially uncooperative, Carter eventually opened the door and was detained. Inside, police found additional shell casings, outgoing bullet holes in multiple walls, and a handgun hidden in a dresser.
Multiple witnesses came forward to report the incident. A female resident stated that Carter fired a gun in her direction after she opened her door to investigate the noise. Another resident described bullets entering his kitchen cabinet, while others reported hearing gunfire and seeing Carter shouting incoherently in the hallway.
According to the complaint, Carter admitted to drinking heavily before the incident. He claimed he was startled awake by an unknown object striking his head, prompting him to fire shots in response. Police recovered more than 30 spent casings and bullet fragments from the scene, along with surveillance equipment installed by Carter.
After making his initial court appearance on Tuesday, Carter remains in custody on $200,000 bail.
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