Eddie James Freeman III was charged with six felony counts on Sept. 24, after he allegedly fired gunshots at Minnesota law enforcement on Sept. 21
Hennepin County Jail
Eddie James Freeman III
A 23-year-old man allegedly fired shots at a state trooper after crashing his ex-girlfriend’s car when she attempted to end their relationship on Saturday, Sept. 21 in Minneapolis, per the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Sept. 24 news release and WCCO News.
Minnesota State Patrol troopers were dispatched to the crash site at eastbound I-94 and Dowling Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. on Saturday. Gunshots were allegedly fired at the scene before authorities arrived. State trooper Mark Vande Steeg responded to the incident and allegedly “came under almost immediate gunfire” by Eddie James Freeman III, 23, per the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
Vande Steeg and Freeman exchanged gunfire, and no one was hit or injured, authorities said. Body cam footage captured BCA crime scene responders finding a handgun where Freeman was arrested and assessing bullet holes on the police car.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 9, Vande Steeg, who was identified by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, approached the scene, turned on his squad lights and sirens, and then shined a spotlight on the suspect, who matched Freeman’s description.
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Stock image of a state Trooper officer car in Minnesota
Allegedly, Freeman “raised his hand and pointed what appeared to be a gun in the officer’s direction,” the complaint added, noting that Vande Steeg returned fire. Additional law enforcement officers with the Minneapolis Police Department responded to the scene.
Then, more officers surrounded Freeman. He tossed the gun before he was arrested — police recovered the gun. He allegedly spit in the face of a Minneapolis police officer while being arrested, according to the criminal complaint, per WCCO News.
Law enforcement then spoke with the vehicle’s driver, who said she was Freeman’s girlfriend. The pair had been driving on I-94 when she told Freeman the “relationship was over.” Freeman allegedly grabbed the steering wheel and crashed the car. After the crash, he exited the vehicle and the woman, whose name has not been made public, said she heard gunshots. Police say officers discovered a bullet hole in the driver’s side door, but no injuries were reported, according to WCCO News.
Two witnesses who were about to offer help fled the scene when they saw someone pointing a gun at them. They ran away and heard approximately six gunshots, per WCCO News.
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Stock image of police tape at night time
After the incident, I-94 shut down for over 12 hours so authorities could investigate the incident before reopening late Sunday morning, Sept. 22.
The BCA says it is investigating Van Steeg’s “use of force,” and he was placed on standard critical incident leave. Freeman is being investigated by the Minnesota State Patrol.
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, Freeman was charged with first-degree assault against a police officer, four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, and fourth-degree assault, Fox 9 reports.
Freeman remains in custody at Hennepin County Jail. His bail has been set at $300,000 with conditions. He appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 25, per WCCO News.
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The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.
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