A northeast Minneapolis man has been charged with one count of felony threats of violence after authorities say he wielded a sword and threatened to kill a black man while also shouting racial slurs.
The criminal complaint against Gene Willard Abrahamson, 68, states that on Friday, August 13 at approximately 12:30 p.m., police were called to a disturbance in the parking lot of St. Anthony Village Wine & Spirits located on the 2700 block of County Road 88 in St. Anthony, Minnesota.
When police arrived, they spoke with a man who was with his girlfriend and young child. The victim told police that he was driving through the parking lot earlier when a pickup truck drove directly at him and stopped, blocking his way.
The driver of the pickup truck, later identified as Abrahamson, drove next to the victim and rolled down the window. Abrahamson then started calling the victim a “f–ing monkey” and other racial slurs while making monkey sounds. The victim told police he believed these were derogatory names because he is black, the complaint states.
Abrahamson then parked his vehicle, exited holding a sword and approached the victim outside in the parking lot. Abrahamson started waving the sword over his head and threatened to kill the victim while continuing to call him racial slurs. Abrahamson eventually left the parking lot.
Surveillance video posted Monday by St. Anthony PD showed part of the incident. In the video, Abrahamson’s pickup truck can be seen driving toward the victim’s vehicle. Abrahamson then parks and emerges from the vehicle with a sword in his hand.
Police said they received several 911 calls about the incident and took statements from witnesses and the victims when they arrived.
Police were able to identify Abrahamson through his license plate number, and the victim positively identified him through a photo lineup. Police could not immediately locate Abrahamson, so a warrant was issued for his arrest, which said that Abrahamson “poses a threat to public safety.”
Abrahamson was arrested by St. Anthony police in the afternoon on August 18. Police stated that Abrahamson resisted arrest while being taken into custody and suffered a minor scratch. Abrahamson was booked into Hennepin County Jail after being treated by medical personnel, police said.
Abrahamson made his first court appearance on Thursday and was granted a public defender. Court records indicate that Judge Carolina A. Lamas ordered Abrahamson conditionally released with no bail required. Abrahamson was released from custody Thursday evening and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on September 13.
Court records show only a prior minor traffic citation for Abrahamson.
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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.
