Minneapolis man charged with 11 counts in St. Paul crime spree

A Minneapolis man is charged with multiple counts ranging from attempted murder to carjacking to burglary in connection with an alleged crime spree in St. Paul earlier this month.

Leonard Rozell, 49, is charged with four counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of second-degree assault, two counts of first-degree aggravated robbery, one count of attempted aggravated robbery and one count of attempted second-degree murder.

According to the charges, the crime spree began when a homeowner came home to find Rozell had broken into his house on the 2000 block of Suburban Avenue and was attempting to steal his TV. When he confronted Rozell, Rozell pulled out a gun and shot at him. The homeowner fled to warn his family, who were in a car in the driveway. Rozell fired two more rounds at him before fleeing the scene.

Rozell attempted to steal an elderly neighbor’s car at gunpoint, but she did not have her keys. The incident was captured on a neighbor’s security camera. He then fled to a nearby Aldi, where he successfully stole a woman’s SUV at gunpoint. That incident was captured on the store’s surveillance video.

Responding police officers saw the stolen SUV exit Highway 61 near Wilson Street. Officers set up a perimeter, but while holding the perimeter they got another call regarding a robbery on the 800 block of Euclid Street involving a suspect matching Rozell’s description.

The charges say Rozell approached a man in his garage, pointed a gun and him and demanding he give him "all you have." Rozell allegedly pistol-whipped the victim across the face, got into his cargo van and took his wallet before driving off in the stolen van.

Part of the incident was captured on a neighbor’s security camera. Officers recovered the stolen SUV in the alley of the 1000 block of Euclid Street.

Several hours later, officers recovered the stolen cargo van abandoned on the 1000 block of Third Street East. Surveillance video showed the van had been abandoned around 4:45 p.m.

The following day, Aug. 10, officers spoke to Rozell’s girlfriend who told them he had been talking about robbing the neighbors because they had money and drugs. She said she had heard he had pointed a gun at somebody at Aldi and stolen a vehicle. She was also aware of the attempted burglary on the 2000 block of Suburban Avenue and told police she believed Rozell had something to do with it.

Rozell unexpectedly showed up at her house the morning after the alleged crime spree with blood on his legs, which he said was from hiding in bushes in the woods. He told her he was going to run because of the incident the day before.

When asked why he had done it, Rozell told her he "shot a boy in the face last night," according to the charges.

He changed his clothes, grabbed his wallet and cell phone and left.

Rozell’s alleged victims identified him in a photo lineup. 

Rozell has prior felony convictions in Minnesota and Illinois for robbery and burglary among other things. 

A Ramsey County judge set Rozell’s bail at $2 million. He will make his next court appearance on Sept. 22.