Police Apprehend Guest Suspected of Shooting Host During Apple Valley Barbecue

One man could spend up to seven years in prison for a shooting that injured an Apple Valley resident in June.

James Lamar McClellon, a 52-year-old resident of Albany, MN is charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The charge carries three to seven years in prison, and anywhere from $4,200 to $14,000 in fines.

The incident in question occurred on June 15, when officers with the Apple Valley Police Department were dispatched to apartment complex on report of 15 people fighting. The caller said that people were pushing each other and throwing drinks. While en route, the witness told dispatch that he thought he'd heard a gunshot.
Once on scene officers encountered a heavily intoxicated man with blood on his arm and leg. He was combative, and refused to listen to officers commands or accept treatment from paramedics. He was eventually taken to the hospital where it was discovered that he had a gunshot wound in his leg and a bullet in his knee.

The injured man and his girlfriend had invited friends and family over for a barbecue earlier that day. Witnesses say that at one point the alleged victim got angry and pushed his girlfriend. Her family members intervened, and soon the party turned into a melee. After the gunshot sounded, McClellon fled on foot. Police found a spent pistol casing at the scene, along with a bloody rag.

Attempts to locate both gun and defendant were unsuccessful until Monday, when McClellon was taken into custody on a warrant. 

He is currently in custody at the Dakota County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 20.