Charges: Deputy U.S. marshal shot suspect who fired gun at St. Paul gas station
Alize Cleaves is charged with two counts of assault and one count of drive-by shooting. (Ramsey County Jail)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A deputy U.S. marshal was at the right place at the right time this week when he stopped a man firing shots at a St. Paul gas station.
Now, the Ramsey County Attorney has filed charges against the alleged shooter, 24-year-old Alize Jovon Cleaves. The charges include assault and discharging a weapon at an occupied vehicle.
According to the charges, Cleaves was at the Holiday gas station at the corner of East Seventh Street and Kittson Street Wednesday evening when he got into a confrontation with a man in a Dodge.
Three deputy marshals, who were at the gas station refueling, witnessed the argument between Cleaves and the other individual. At one point, the deputy marshals say Cleaves reached into his vehicle and pulled out a handgun and began firing as the man in the Dodge drove away from the gas station.
The deputy marshal then jumped into action, pulling his sidearm, identifying himself as a marshal, and demanding Cleaves drop his weapon. Instead, investigators say Cleaves turned towards the marshal. Fearing for his life, the marshal said he shot Cleaves twice.
After Cleaves was shot, the marshals rendered aide, and Cleaves, who survived the incident, was taken to the hospital.
According to the charges, Cleaves later told police the man in the Dodge had insinuated he had a weapon, but Cleaves says he never saw a gun. Cleaves reportedly admitted he fired his gun five or six times to protect his family.
Police were able to track down the Dodge, which had been struck three times by bullets.
The Minnesota BCA is currently investigating the use of force by the deputy marshal, including reviewing surveillance footage from the gas station. They say no one else was hurt in the shooting.
At this time, the deputy marshal's name is being withheld.