St. Paul police recover 8 guns in search for drive-by shooting suspect
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The arrest of a man wanted in connection to a drive-by shooting led St. Paul Police to a stash of guns.
Eight guns, ammunition and drugs were found after a search warrant was granted for a house in the 1500 block of Wilson Street in the Dayton Bluffs neighborhood of St. Paul.
St. Paul police say the person of interest in the drive-by shooting is someone they are familiar with. The 22 year old ran from St. Paul police and the state patrol and got away.
But Monday, members of St. Paul police's gang and gun unit caught up to him, and a search warrant of his home turned up a stash of guns.
"A total of eight firearms, some large drum magazines that hold about 50 rounds. One of the handguns was a glock that had what we call a switch," Commander Jeff Stiff said.
The "switch" or" auto sears" is an illegal device used to turn a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic weapon.
Just possessing a switch can lead to federal charges.
An AR-15 assault rifle was also confiscated, and one of the guns was reported stolen.
"If you are going to pull the trigger in the city of St. Paul you're going to have the gang and gun and the criminal intelligent unit coming looking for you," Stiff said. Stiff says units continue to work together to get the most violent offenders off the street, and it's working.
Last year more than 660 guns were taken off of St. Paul streets. So far this year, 361 guns have been confiscated, and the gang and gun unit is working hard to get more.
"The more that you can take off the street you're going to make an effect," Stiff said.
Police also found stolen keys they believe were taken from rental cars at the airport.
WCCO-TV does not typically name suspects unless they are charged with a crime.
