Man who aims gun later gives his reasons: He's a Marine, and certain people from Minnesota are out to get him

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River Falls police caught and arrested a 20-year-old Zimmerman, Minn., man after 2 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at the downtown Holiday store for possession of a firearms facsimile, drug paraphernalia and marijuana, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. The man was allegedly involved in an altercation in the 200 block of East Elm Street where he pointed a handgun at people before running off.

The gun -- actually pellet gun that looked exactly like a Smith & Wesson .45 handgun -- was later found stuffed in a trash can at Holiday. The man's backpack, allegedly with drug-related items, was found ditched in the Holiday bathroom.

Police knew that the suspects involved in the fighting on Elm Street had been talking about where to get food so late at night. They zeroed in on two places: Bubba's Chicken and Holiday.

The Zimmerman man was found at Holiday. He had to be forcibly brought to the floor and handcuffed. While one other man was punched in the face during the scuffle, no one else in this incident was arrested.

During questioning, the Zimmerman man said he resisted officers because he was a Marine and had a fear of high-ranking officers. He also claimed that he got out the gun because a dozen people were poised to jump him. He added that there were also certain people from Rogers, Minn., out to get him -- because he was a Marine and had money.

The man was taken to county jail in Ellsworth. Criminal charges are pending with the district attorney.

Police also:

--Arrested a 32-year-old St. Paul man for battery, disorderly conduct and property damage before 2 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, in the 100 block of North Main Street. The man was being escorted out of Boomer's Bar for causing a disturbance on the dance floor and allegedly punching a woman in the face.

A responding officer claimed to see the man turn and punch the bouncer after being taken outside. The man then ran, but collided with a parked car's side mirror and fell near the Main Street median.

Two officers forcibly handcuffed the man. One officer got out his Taser stun gun in case the man wouldn't stop fighting back.

--Picked up three students from the high school and one from the Renaissance school during routine drug sweeps of lockers and school parking lots last week Wednesday, Nov. 28. Police dogs and sheriff's deputies assisted. The students were either arrested for marijuana or drug paraphernalia possession.

One female student later arrested allegedly bragged that she wouldn't be caught during the drug sweep because she had marijuana hidden in her bra. She was called to the school office and given a choice of being searched by a female police officer or giving up what she was hiding.

After the office was cleared, the girl allegedly produced a small baggie of marijuana that was collected after administrators and an officer returned to the room.

For more, please read Police Beat in the Dec. 6 print edition of the River Falls Journal.

Tags: river falls, news, crime