Ramsey County deputy shot at from 'point-blank range' during traffic stop: Sheriff

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Two people are in custody after a driver reportedly shot at a Ramsey County sheriff’s deputy from a vehicle during an attempted traffic stop Tuesday night. 

Deputy shot at during traffic stop

What we know:

The incident occurred around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Rice Street and Roselawn Avenue West in Maplewood. The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said the deputy and his K-9 partner were responding to another call when he saw what looked like a road rage incident. 

The deputy pulled behind the vehicle, a Buick LeSabre. The driver made a sudden U-turn and shot out the driver’s side window at "point-blank range," according to the sheriff’s office. 

A bullet ricocheted off the hood of the deputy’s squad car and hit the windshield. 

Driver fled, 2 suspects later arrested

Dig deeper:

The driver of the Buick fled the scene at high speed toward the McDonough Townhomes, where the deputy lost sight of him. 

Witnesses reported seeing the suspect jump into another vehicle and be driven away. 

A Minnesota State Patrol trooper later spotted the second vehicle westbound on Interstate 694 near Rice Street. With the assistance of multiple agencies and a State Patrol helicopter, both drivers were eventually arrested, according to the sheriff's office.

Authorities said the driver who reportedly shot at the Ramsey County deputy was a 25-year-old man from St. Paul. 

Investigators determined he threw a handgun from the vehicle during the pursuit. A Ramsey County sheriff’s deputy recovered the gun on the 1900 block of Rice Street with the help of her K-9 partner. 

What's next:

The driver remains in custody at the Ramsey County Jail and has not yet been charged as of Wednesday morning. 

Ramsey CountyCrime and Public SafetyMaplewood