MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A night out at a downtown Minneapolis bar turned violent last week when Conell Walter Harris, 29, allegedly pulled a loaded handgun on patrons and staff after being asked to leave. Harris now faces federal charges for illegal possession of a firearm, a crime carrying significant penalties.
According to court documents, Minneapolis Police responded to 19 Bar on November 28th after reports of a man waving a gun. Witnesses quickly identified Harris as the aggressor. The situation escalated when bar employees asked to see Harris’ identification, a simple request he refused. When asked to leave, Harris reportedly became combative, pulling a .45 caliber Glock model 30 pistol from his pocket. Employees attempted to defuse the situation, but Harris allegedly became more aggressive, issuing multiple threats.
The stolen firearm was recovered by officers after a struggle. Harris resisted arrest, attempting to conceal the weapon further within his hooded sweatshirt. The gun was later confirmed stolen, adding to the severity of the charges. Investigators quickly pieced together the timeline, interviewing both employees and other patrons who witnessed the escalating confrontation.
Harris is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Tony N. Leung and was ordered held without bail pending a formal detention hearing scheduled for December 5, 2022. The charges stem from Harris’ prior criminal history, which prohibits him from legally possessing a firearm.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Minneapolis Police Department. The ATF’s St. Paul Field Division led the federal probe into the origin of the stolen weapon and Harris’s background. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha H. Bates is prosecuting the case, seeking a conviction and a sentence reflecting the danger posed by Harris’s actions.
It’s crucial to remember that a criminal complaint is simply an allegation. Conell Walter Harris is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. However, the evidence presented so far paints a disturbing picture of a man willing to escalate a minor dispute into a potentially deadly situation, bringing another illegal gun onto the streets of Minneapolis.
Related Federal Cases
- Conell Harris, Gun Possession, Minneapolis MN, 2023 · California
- Kevin Lynch, Illegal Gun Possession, Minneapolis MN, 2023 · California
- Marlin White, Illegal Gun Possession, Minneapolis MN, 2023 · California
- River William Smith Charged with Machine Gun Possession and Hand Grenade Attempt, Minneapolis MN, 2022 · California
- Jordan Alexander, Illegal Gun Possession, Washington DC, 2024 · West Virginia
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