New Brighton man accused of shooting at Ramsey County deputy, canine partner on Maplewood road

A 25-year-old New Brighton, Minnesota, man is accused of shooting at a deputy and his canine partner while chasing a minivan down a Maplewood road.

Dmonte Leanna is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, possession of a firearm, second-degree assault and the assault of a public safety dog.

Charges say Leanna was driving a Buick and pulled up beside a minivan in a Walgreens parking lot around 8 p.m. on Tuesday. The two exchanged words and when the minivan driver pulled away, Leanna followed and pointed his gun at the driver, charges say. 

Leanna chased the minivan and passed by a Ramsey County deputy in an unmarked Durango, charges say. The deputy, who had a canine partner named Sonny in the back of the car, followed Leanna.

Leanna then leaned out of the Buick and pointed a handgun at the Durango, firing a round, charges say. The bullet hit the hood of the deputy's car and ricocheted into the front windshield. 

The complaint says the deputy lost sight of the Buick, but it was later found near 1577 Timberlake Road. Witnesses told officers that the driver of the Buick hopped into a black sedan after leaving the car, according to documents.

Deputies stopped the sedan on Interstate 94 near 53rd Avenue in Minneapolis. Leanna's mother was driving the sedan, and Leanna was in the passenger seat, according to the charges.

In a post-Miranda interview, Leanna said he got upset about an interaction with the woman in the parking lot and admitted he went after her to scare her off. Leanna said he didn't know the Durango was an unmarked squad car and fired because he was scared the Durango was going to hit him.

Police were able to recover the firearm near the St. Paul Regional Water Services. The gun was reported stolen out of Illinois, charges say.

Leanna is ineligible to possess a firearm because of a prior conviction for criminal sexual conduct.