A Ramsey, Minn., man has been charged after allegedly randomly stabbing two people in a busy shopping area north of Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) last week.
Jermaine Spencer, Jr., 21, has been charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in the random attacks that played out about 1 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 27 in the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood along West Lake Street.
Charges filed in Hennepin County District Court state that police responded to a stabbing at Walgreens, where they were met by an adult female cashier who stated that the suspect entered the store, walked up to her, and stabbed her once on the right side of the chest with a pair of scissors. He then dropped the scissors and punched her several times on the right side of her face before fleeing on foot.
Police met with a second injured party, who said she was sitting on the patio of a nearby business when the suspect ran up to her and cut the side of her neck with a knife. He also hit her several times and fled on foot.
Police located the suspect running toward the North Beach of the lake and took him into custody. Surveillance video obtained by police from Walgreens confirmed that Spencer was the suspect, charges say.
No motive for the stabbings was detailed in the charging document.
Spencer made his first court appearance on Friday and was granted a public defender. Spencer remains in custody on $75,000 bail or $50,000 conditional release bail and has been ordered to undergo a chemical dependency evaluation. His next court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 22.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
