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Shooter: I didn’t intentionally fire on buses
Published Saturday, March 8, 2008
Timothy E. Mindermann
WADENA — A 19-year-old Wadena man who allegedly fired pellets from an air gun at three school buses said he didn’t mean to hurt or frighten anyone.
“I did not intentionally fire that gun at anybody,” said Timothy Erwin Mindermann. “I feel horrible about it,” he added,
Mindermann was charged Thursday with three counts of second-degree felony assault for allegedly firing a pellet-type gun at three school buses loaded with students from the Wadena School District. Two students reported minor injuries from the incident. The pellets broke windows on the buses.
Prosecutors based their case on the testimony of a young woman who said she was riding in the car with Mindermann when he allegedly fired the pistol. Mindermann said he was playing with a spring-loaded airsoft gun while he was driving with his window down as the buses passed him going the other way. He said the pistol may have fired, but he didn’t think it was loaded with any of the hollow plastic pellets it used as ammunition.
But, according to the court complaint, Mindermann admitted he “shot three or four times” at the buses directly parallel to his vehicle at the time he shot.
The passenger in Mindermann’s car stated, according to the complaint, that as they approached County Highway 75, Mindermann allegedly rolled the car window down and fired approximately three times out of the window at the school buses.
It was described as a “Glock-type air gun.” After firing the weapon, Mindermann allegedly laughed and continued eastbound down Minnesota Highway 29.
School bus 62 was traveling on Highway 75 when a window on the driver’s side shattered. Students in bus 151, following 62, reported that a bus window was broken with a hole about the size of a pea. Bus 81, traveling behind 151, was also damaged, when a window near the back shattered.
Mindermann said the allegations were particularly painful for him because he’s in the U.S. Army Reserve, and knows better than to play with a weapon while driving.
Mindermann has posted bail.
By The Daily Journal and AP
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by OTCProfessor (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey, if that is what he said happened we have to believe him until we know better. Give him his leagal rights!
Posted by Lori (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 11:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Even if he 'didn't think' it was loaded - why did he aim it at the buses and shoot it at all? And then continue to shot it 3 or 4 more times?
Posted by airbear (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 12:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I first heard about these "air guns" last summer when two young boys I know had them and were shooting them in city limits like they were a toy! Obviously shocked anyone would let their children use this so carlessly infuriated me, but by just looking at the guns not knowing much about them at the time.....they do almost resemble a toy gun. They shoot these little plastic balls (about pea sized) at an extremely high speed. They will leave a welt on your skin if you're shot with it that really hurts!
I guess my point is that I would have never guessed shooting them at a distance from a moving vehicle would have caused any damages, let alone break a window....HOWEVER....There are some obvious laws and restrictions lacking with these types of weapons. I don't think people know how dangerous they can be, and some warnings and public knowledge needs to be shared amonst the community to avoid furthur incidences. Next time some child could get seriously injured.
I as a parent am outraged by the thought of my child being on that bus, but maybe the young man really didn't think it could hurt anyone????
Just a thought.......
Posted by killdeer (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like another case of Playstation overload-cause and effect just isn't real to some people-glad he didn't shoot it aclose range"since he didn't know it was loaded"-ya, right...maybe one shot, but multiple?
Posted by jamieann (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Lets see....He is(was)? in the U.S. Army Reserve?? I wonder for how long now. I surely wouldnt trust him with a military weapon now. You would think he had more mature understanding of a weapon even though it wasnt a "fire-Arm". To purposely aim and shoot at School buses and say he didnt think the gun was loaded makes no sense. Did he not hear the windows shatter on the bus with the window down? Such malice.
Posted by Sumwun (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Its only a matter of time before someone is shot with a real gun due to these air "soft" guns. Has anyone seen the way they make these things? They are intended to be exact replicas of the real things, including automatic weapons. Just what we need kids to be running around with these days with the way people are going around shooting up public places.
Posted by doctipster (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 3:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Thing is this kid shouldn't be viewed any differently than a kid who walked into a school and shot at kids. He shot at school buses full of kids. Whether he intentionally meant for it to go off or not, he made the initial thought of pointing a weapon at a school bus which as far as I am concerned is guilt in itself.
A few years in the State Penn might make him think twice about his actions in the future....
Posted by intheknow (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I can see how this happened since I've been driving around with my windows down in the last week. Such warm and balmy weather we've been having around here....
He's full of it, with a witness in the vehicle he's sooo
busted!!!!!!
Posted by alwayshere (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All I can say is glad he got caught and hopefully justice is served. Sad for him to bring up the fact that he is in the Guard- sounds like sympathy seeking on his part, and just a response to try and dig his way out of trouble.
Posted by werty (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 5:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
We have a school bus full of kids, an air gun, and a trigger happy nut who is supposed to have enough wits to defend our country. Somebody who operates real weapons with real bullets in our military says he can't tell if an air gun is loaded and says the gun "may" have fired...and plays with the weapon while driving. Whoever believes his testimony is a jackass period.
Posted by notcominghome (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 6:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What a miserable excuse. Doesnt everyone know you treat all weapons as if they are loaded. Forsure you would learn that in the reserve. And it accidentally fired 3 times? YEAH RIGHT! Would there be such a thing as a courtmarshal for him there too? should be after throwing around the United States Army Reserve name.And it sounds like he admitted guilt. It is not IF he did it but Why. And it should be treated like a school shooting. If my kids were on that bus I would definetly hold a grudge. And would try for a civil suit if I felt justice was not served.
Posted by notcominghome (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 6:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
And if he posted bail, why is he still in jail?
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 7:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, right. Does anyone actually believe this pinhead?!
Posted by notcominghome (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 8:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not at all!
Posted by JL (anonymous) on March 8, 2008 at 8:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
INTHEKNOW I AGREE WITH YOU 100% AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS PLAYING WITH THE GUN WHILE DRIVING GOOD THING HE DIDN'T CRASH AND KILL THE PEOPLE IN HIS CAR! AND DOCTIPSTER VERY GOOD POINT WITH THE POPULARITY OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS THIS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY AT ALL.
Posted by enjoy12 (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 4:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He should know better, but he is only 19...
Posted by Flashbang (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"He should know better, but he is only 19..." enjoy12, don't even go there. There is no valid excuse for what he did. OR maybe the girl in the car was holding a real gun to his head and told him to shoot the school buses or she'd shoot him?
What he did deserves a day or two in court.
Posted by OhYou (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Big mistake. Big price to pay. One must learn to THINK.
Posted by killdeer (anonymous) on March 9, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe a little time in the pen with some real "gansta" types would clear his head?
Posted by concernedcitizen (anonymous) on March 10, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
As a person who has a "permit to carry", and many years of law enforcement experience, I can only say that had I observed the act of a person shooting a pistol at a school bus, things might have turned out different. I can assure, the least of which would have been this individual cleaning out his pants after being approached by someone with a 'real' gun. Keep that in mind... you never know who may be watching.
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