Man Faces 4 Felonies for Shots Fired at Golden Valley Officer During Pursuit
A Brooklyn Park man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at a Golden Valley police officer during a foot pursuit last week.
Marlon Terrelle Collins, 30, is charged with four felonies: attempted 1st-degree murder, attempted 2nd-degree intentional murder, 1st-degree assault and possession of a firearm after the incident Feb. 16.
Just after 9 p.m. that day, a 911 caller reported a person dressed in all black had attempted to enter her home.
YOUTUBE: Dispatch audio of the incident on Feb. 16
Responding officers noted a suspicious vehicle at an intersection just south of the home and a male matching the description of the attempted burglary suspect who got into the passenger’s seat.
When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled at a high rate of speed, resulting in a short pursuit reaching speeds of 70 mph. The driver eventually crashed into a snowbank at the intersection of 37th Ave. N. & Major Ave. N. in Robbinsdale.
PREVIOUSLY: 2 Suspects in Custody After Shots Fired at Golden Valley Officer During Pursuit
Right after the crash, Collins got out of the passenger’s seat armed with a handgun, court documents say. He allegedly started firing shots at the officer, who was getting out of his fully marked squad car near the intersection.
Collins reportedly ran, paused, then turned back to the officer and began to fire several more rounds before continuing to flee on foot. The officer was not struck by any of the bullets, but the spotlight of the squad car was hit.
According to the criminal complaint, five 9mm casings were found at the scene. The officer did not return fire during the incident and Collins was quickly located less than a block away in the backyard of a home.
Further investigation found that Collins had broken into several homes in the area prior to the 911 call and kicked in a garage door near where he was eventually found.
It was in the rafters of that garage that officers found a Glock 19 9mm pistol with a 30-round clip, a laser sight and “switch” converting the gun to an automatic weapon, documents said. The homeowner confirmed with police that the weapon did not belong to them.
Investigators say surveillance video from a home on the 2900 block of Lee Ave. in Robbinsdale showed Collins stealing two safes–one of which contained a firearm–a short time prior to the pursuit. Documents say the stolen firearm was different than the gun Collins used to fire the shots. Investigators later found the two stolen safes inside the vehicle Collins ran from, the documents said.
PREVIOUSLY: 2 Suspects in Custody After Shots Fired at Golden Valley Officer During Pursuit
Collins is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions including multiple burglaries, financial card transaction fraud, check forgery and assault. Collins also has multiple misdemeanors for theft, possession of drug paraphernalia, identity theft, credit fraud, domestic abuse and violating a no contact order.
Collins’ first appearance in court was set for Wednesday.
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