Apple Valley Resident Charged with Felony Firearm Offense
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA - According to the criminal complaint, on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, Apple Valley Police Officers received a report about a domestic dispute occurring between a large group of people at a residence in the 7600 block of Whitney Drive in Apple Valley, Minnesota.
While Officers were en route to the residence, dispatch updated Officers that a fight had broken out amongst the group and shots were fired. Once Apple Valley Police Officers arrived, they broke up the fight and began investigating the report of gunshots being fired. According to multiple witnesses to the incident, Samuel Turner was seen walking out of his residence with a handgun, fired the gun about five or six times, and then walked back into his apartment.
Apple Valley Police Officers placed Mr. Turner under arrest and he was transported to the Apple Valley Police Department for further questioning. Following getting his Miranda statement, Mr. Turner denied firing a gun or possessing a firearm at any point that evening. He did state his wife had a permit to carry, and may still have her firearm in the house. Officers with the Apple Valley Police Department then got a search warrant for the residence, which was executed around 11:40 PM that evening. While officers searched the home, in one of the bedrooms they found a Springfield magazine loaded with three 9mm rounds and a cloth pouch lying on the bed. Officers also found a cellphone on the same bed, which they later identified as belonging to Mr. Turner. Apple Valley Police Officers also found two safes in the same bedroom as the gun and cellphone. Within one of the safes, Officers found a Springfield Armory XD 9mm gun with a fully loaded magazine and Mr. Turner's birth certificate. In the second safe, Officers found two boxes of Magtech 9mm ammunition, with one box that was partially used. Apple Valley Police Officers then canvassed the area where the firearm was said to have been discharged by witnesses, and they found four 9mm gun bullet casings in the grass.
On June 2, 2023, a detective with the Apple Valley Police Department obtained video from a Ring doorbell from the front door of the residence. Upon reviewing the video, the detective observed a male walk outside the residence and fire a handgun multiple times with the handgun aimed to the left of the camera view and not directly in the area. Moments later in the video, the detective reported seeing a child running from the direction the handgun was pointed. The Apple Valley Detective compared the Ring doorbell video to that video from the Officers' and determined the individual firing the gun was in fact, Mr. Turner.
Samuel Turner was charged with Felony Dangerous Weapon Violation (Intentionally Discharge of Firearm/Endangers Safety), which comes with a maximum sentence of 0-5 years and/or a $3,000 to $5,000 fine.
Photo by Grant Durr on Unsplash
