Mpls Man Pleads Guilty To Pointing Gun At Police

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 23-year-old Minneapolis man pleaded guilty Tuesday to pointing a gun at a police officer and to fleeing police in a car, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said.

Deon Watkins is expected to be sentenced to more than 7 years in prison in connection with the crimes.

According to a criminal complaint, Watkins pointed a .40-caliber handgun at a pursuing officer last November. At the time, officers were doing surveillance in North Minneapolis after a rash of burglaries. After police saw Watkins pull on the door handles of two homes, they tried to arrest him. First, he ran and then he turned and pointed the gun (a Smith & Wesson) at an officer.

In July of 2012, while out on bail for the crime described above, Watkins and another person, Germaine Swingler, pulled up to a car wherein an undercover office was sitting. Swingler pointed a gun at the officer and the officer responded by pulling out his own gun. Watkins then drove away, but police gave chase and eventually captured both men.

Watkins is slated to be sentenced by District Court Judge Fred Karasov on the morning of Oct. 17.

Swingler is scheduled to be in court Thursday.