NE Minneapolis man waved a sword, made threats and hurled racial slurs at a black man in St. Anthony, charges say
By MN Crime Watch, August 23, 2021
A Northeast Minneapolis man has been charged with one count of felony threats of violence after authorities say he wielded a sword and threatened to kill a black man while hurling racial slurs at the man who was with his family.
The criminal complaint against Gene Willard Abrahamson, 68, states that on Friday, August 13 at approximately 12:30 p.m., police were called to a disturbance in the parking lot of St. Anthony Village Wine & Spirits located on Highway 88, in St. Anthony, Minnesota.
When police arrived, they spoke with a man (victim) who was with his girlfriend and young child. The victim told police that he was driving through the parking lot earlier when a pickup truck drove directly at him and stopped, blocking his way.
The driver of the pickup truck, later identified as Abrahamson, drove next to the victim and rolled down the window. Abrahamson then started calling the victim a “f**king monkey” and a “f**king n****r” and made monkey sounds. The victim told police he believed these were derogatory names because he was black, the complaint states.
Abrahamson then parked his vehicle and exited holding a sword and approached the victim outside in the parking lot. Abrahamson started waving the sword over his head and threatened to kill the victim and continued to call him “n****r” and “monkey.” Abrahamson eventually left the parking lot.
Surveillance video posted by St. Anthony PD captured part of the incident. In the video Abrahamson’s pickup truck can be seen driving toward the victim’s vehicle. Abrahamson then parks and emerges from the vehicle with a sword.
Police said they received several 911 calls about the incident and they took statements from witnesses and the victims when they arrived.
Police were able to identify Abrahamson through his license plate number, and the victim positively identified him through a photo line up. Police could not immediately locate Abrahamson, so a warrant was issued for his arrest citing that Abrahamson “poses a threat to public safety.”
Abrahamson, whose address is listed on the 3000 block of Cleveland Street Northeast, was arrested by St. Anthony police on Wednesday afternoon, August 18 and was booked into Hennepin County Jail.
Abrahamson made his first court appearance on Thursday and was granted a public defender. Court records indicate that Judge Carolina A. Lamas ordered Abrahamson conditionally released with no bail required. Abrahamson was released from custody Thursday evening and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on September 13.
Court records show only a prior minor traffic citation for Abrahamson.
—
We’re volunteers. Your financial support places value on our time spent researching and reporting news you won’t get from mainstream media. We are committed to keeping the information we produce free from paywalls, but it’s not free to produce. In addition to placing value on our time, your support can help us offset real costs for equipment, scanners, software, electronic storage and costs sometimes associated with obtaining public data or records. You can support us with a sustaining monthly pledge on Patreon, or with a donation to our tip jar at paypal.me/CrimeWatchMpls. Or you can click HERE for other ways to donate. Thank you.
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes original content news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. We often report what other media won’t. Read About Us.
