Eagan Officer Nearly Killed In Shooting, St. Paul Man Now Charged

EAGAN, MN — A St. Paul man is facing multiple felony charges after prosecutors say he fired a gun at one Eagan officer's head and pressed a handgun into another officer's torso during a domestic disturbance call last week.

Adrian Ricardo Flowers, 37, was charged Tuesday with two counts of attempted first-degree murder of a peace officer, two counts of first-degree assault of a peace officer, two counts of obstructing legal process and a felony firearm violation, Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena announced.

According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at an Eagan residence around 6 a.m. on Aug. 15.

When they arrived, Flowers and a woman holding a small child were outside, police said.

Officers believed Flowers appeared to be under the influence, and he became argumentative before telling them he was going back inside the house, police said.

Flowers ignored the commands to stop walking, according to authorities.

As officers worked to restrain him, Flowers pulled a gun from his waistband and pointed it at an officer's head, then fired one shot that narrowly missed the officer, prosecutors say.

He then pressed the muzzle of the handgun into a second officer's torso and pulled the trigger, but the gun did not discharge, police said.

Officers were ultimately able to pry the weapon from his hand, according to authorities.

An inspection of the gun found that the round which loaded into the chamber after the first shot had jammed, preventing it from firing again.

Flowers is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior conviction for unintentional second-degree murder while committing a felony in Ramsey County, according to the complaint.

"Our law enforcement partners in Dakota County put themselves in harm's way every day to keep our communities safe," Keena said in a statement.

"I have tremendous appreciation for their unwavering commitment to public safety. The outcome of this incident could have been so different, and I'm grateful no officers were killed or sustained any serious physical injuries."

Flowers remains in custody at the Dakota County Jail. A judge set bail at $1 million without conditions, or $750,000 with conditions. His next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9 at 9 a.m. in Hastings.