Man who fired stolen gun at officer during chase in St. Paul pleads guilty

A St. Paul, Minnesota, man who fled from police and fired a stolen gun at an officer last January pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Samuel Flowers, 28, originally faced eight counts, including second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, two counts of prohibited firearm and ammunition possession, a dangerous weapons charge, fifth-degree drug possession, fleeing a peace officer and refusing to submit to a chemical test.

He pleaded guilty to one dangerous weapons charge.

Documents say police officers tried to make a traffic stop after witnessing Flowers speeding in a Chevrolet Impala. Flowers eventually fired at the officer from inside the Impala during the pursuit. 

The officer was not hurt, but his vehicle was damaged. A separate car belonging to a civilian was also damaged by gunfire, charges said.

Flowers crashed into a parked car on the 800 block of Fuller Avenue, and police arrested him. They found an "AR-style rifle" and more than a dozen spent casings inside the Impala, the criminal complaint said. The gun had been reported stolen in Minneapolis in 2018.

Flowers is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21, 2026.