74-year-old man charged with attempted murder for stabbing in North St. Paul antique store robbery

NORTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - An Anoka, Minnesota man is accused of stabbing two women during a robbery at an antique store on Thursday and spraying a chemical into the face of an officer who tried to detain him.

The Ramsey County Attorney has filed charges of attempted murder and aggravated robbery against 74-year-old Jeffrey Frederic Frank.

Frank was arrested after calls came in for the robbery at Antiques at the Pharmacy on the 2500 block of Seventh Avenue East around 11:45 a.m. on Thursday. According to the charges, when a North St. Paul police officer arrived, she saw a group of people trailing Frank, who was trying to enter another business further down the block.

The officer approached Frank and ordered him to stop. Instead, prosecutors say Frank sprayed her with a red liquid in a dish soap bottle. The liquid caused the officer to double over and vomit.

Investigators say a second officer was able to stop Frank with the use of a Taser.

At the antique store, police found two victims, a 58-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man, who had both suffered serious injuries. They were taken to Regions Hospital for treatment.

On Frank, police found coins, a broken locking mechanism from a display case, and a large kitchen knife. They also say they found the dish soap bottle filled with a red liquid.

Prosecutors say the second officer came into contact with the liquid during the arrest and felt effects similar to pepper spray. Another officer also became sick when moving the squad belonging to the first officer who was sprayed.

The officer who was sprayed was treated for injuries and later released.

At the antique store, investigators spoke to a worker who said Frank had been in the store near a secured glass display for collector coins. The worker walked away but then heard a noise that sounded like the case being broken into. When she walked back, the case was open and Frank was headed out the front door.

The 58-year-old woman and the 66-year-old man, who worked at the shop, attempted to stop Frank at his vehicle. Witnesses told police Frank sprayed the red liquid and stabbed the two victims during a scuffle.

Frank is being held at the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center on the charges.