Retired MN Firefighter Fires Shot Outside Station, Confronts Man in Alley

A retired Minneapolis firefighter who fired a shot outside a fire station last Friday also is accused of assaulting a man in an alley later in the day.

Eric Jagers was charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office with one count of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of threats of violence with reckless disregard for risks, KTSP reported. 

Two witnesses saw Jagers fire a shot outside of a Minneapolis fire station near North Sixth Street. He recently retired after 24 years. 

Minneapolis Asst. Fire Chief Melanie Rucker told reporters: “We were concerned about the safety of our firefighters on location and the safety of the public. Jagers didn’t enter the fire station. Based on the information I’ve been given, he drove up to the fire station, yelled some obscenities, fired his gun, and peeled off.”

Later, he confronted former University of Minnesota Gophers running back Tellis Redmon who struck a board as he drove through an alley to pick up his son.

Jagers allegedly called Redmon a racial slur and told him to “say goodbye to your 5-year-old.” After firing a gun next to Redmon's head, the weapon fell under the car, the station reported.

A Good Samaritan ran to help and Redmon managed to get on top of Jagers while he was trying to retrieve the gun. Both escaped without injury.

When he refused to obey officers' orders, they tased him. But, he got away briefly until they tackled him, according to the published reports.

Police found a 9 mm Smith and Wesson, a Smith and Wesson .45 classic, a .223 ranch rifle, and a 12-gauge shotgun in Jagers’ possession. He does not have a permit to carry.

He told police he regrets everything that happened and wished that it never happened. He also told police that “s*** went sideways” after saying he recently retired.