April 17—AUSTIN, Minn. — An Austin man is accused of pointing a realistic-looking gun at a neighbor and arguing with police when they went to talk to him about the incident.
John Bradley Shea, 42, is charged with threats of violence; assault on a peace officer; two counts of threatening violence while displaying a replica of a weapon, and misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree assault motivated by bias, obstruction of justice and fifth-degree assault.
According to the criminal complaint:
An Austin man was riding his bike in his backyard Monday, April 15, when Shea, whose garage overlooks the man’s backyard across the alley, opened the garage door. The man said he was unsure how an argument started, but claimed Shea began making racist comments, according to the complaint. The man told police he had no time for Shea, but told him, “If you’re that kind of guy, come out of your garage and talk to me.”
The complaint alleges Shea then pulled out a blue handgun that appeared to be a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol, similar to a Glock, and said the man had now given him an excuse to shoot him.
The man also told police that Shea pulled out a gun while two children were playing in the yard, the complaint said.
Austin Police Department officers went to Shea’s home and spoke with him outside his front door. Shea said his neighbor physically threatened him. Shea put his hands in his pocket as he spoke to police. When officers told him to take his hands out of his pockets, Shea refused. When one of the officers tried to pull Shea’s hands into view, Shea struggled with the officer and stormed to his front door. At the front door the two struggled some more. Another officer there used a stun gun on Shea’s shoulder and officers were able to handcuff him, the complaint said.
One officer suffered cuts to his hand and marks on his elbow, the document shows.
Shea was taken to Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin before she was charged. On the way to Mayo, Shea allegedly spoke disparagingly of his neighbor because he was Mexican.
Police searched Shea’s home and found multiple CO2 pistols resembling semi-automatic pistols, an AR-15 receiver mold kit and an AR-15 barrel kit, along with 9mm and .223 ammunition.
Shea was arrested at the Mower County Jail, where he is being held on a $50,000 bond.
