Man Faces Felonies for Allegedly Shooting Neighbor Over Tree Dispute
A Minneapolis man is facing felony charges after allegedly shooting his neighbor during a fight over tree pruning.
It’s the latest in a long string of harassment that the suspect is accused of carrying out over months, court documents say.
Investigators believe 54-year-old John Herbert Sawchak shot the victim in the neck Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, outside their homes on Grand Avenue South, following a prolonged dispute.
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Police were called to a Minneapolis hospital where the victim, an adult male, was being treated for an unknown injury that had caused his sudden collapse. Medical staff discovered a small puncture wound in the back of his neck, with further examination revealing a bullet lodged near his spine.
The bullet trajectory fractured the victim’s spine and two ribs, documents said. He initially couldn’t recall being shot but was later identified through surveillance footage as having been attacked while pruning a tree near the property line he shares with Sawchak.
The victim’s wife told police that she found her husband collapsed in a fetal position near their entryway after she returned from work. She immediately suspected Sawchak, citing a history of threats including a statement made just days earlier in which he allegedly threatened to kill the victim if he touched Sawchak’s tree.
Police say the couple has filed at least 19 prior reports against Sawchak since moving into their home in Sept. 2023, alleging a pattern of harassment and intimidation including vandalism, verbal threats, racial slurs and physical intimidation.
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On the night of the shooting, after the victim was transported to the hospital, his wife returned home to collect some belongings but was confronted again by Sawchak. She told police that Sawchak shined a strobe light on her as she left the house and continued to harass her.
The next day, the couple reviewed their home security footage. The video captured the victim working near the tree with his back turned to Sawchak’s residence when a faint “pop” sound was heard. Instantly, the victim collapsed to the ground, consistent with being shot.
Sawchak now faces charges of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault causing great bodily harm, stalking and aggravated harassment, with bias motivation noted in several of the charges. The complaint details how the use of racial slurs and other threats appeared to target the victim’s race and ethnicity, exacerbating the severity of the offenses.
Police confirmed that Sawchak remained at large, with multiple active warrants related to previous threats and violent behavior, including incidents involving other neighbors. Officers report that Sawchak has actively evaded arrest during their prior attempts to take him into custody.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years for first-degree assault and up to 20 years for attempted second-degree murder.
Investigators are continuing to search for Sawchak and are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact their local authorities. Because he has not been arrested on the new charges, a jail booking photo for Sawchak is not yet available.
UPDATE | Monday, Oct. 28, 2024
Sawchak was apprehended after a SWAT team responded to the residence and a standoff unfolded overnight. It started early Sunday evening and ended shortly before 2 a.m. Monday with Sawchak taken into custody. He is now being held on suspicion of second-degree attempted murder, among other charges. His first court appearance on the new charges is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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