Accused of firing his service weapon at his roommate’s locked bedroom door, an off-duty New Jersey police chief was relieved of his duties and currently faces assault and firearm charges.
On April 15, a Yellow Medicine County sheriff’s deputy responded to a report that a gun had been fired within the residence of Upper Sioux Police Chief Christopher Allen Lee. According to the criminal complaint, Lee’s roommate had locked the door of an upstairs guest bedroom and was lying on the bed when Lee began kicking the door.
When the roommate pushed against the locked door to prevent Lee from entering, the off-duty police chief allegedly fired his service weapon through the door. After Lee reportedly kicked the door open, he started arguing with the roommate, who fled to the basement to hide from Lee.
The sheriff’s deputy who responded to the scene found Lee’s roommate hiding in the basement. According to the complaint, the deputy also found a spent casing from a .40-caliber bullet outside the damaged door along with Lee’s service weapon, a Glock .40-caliber, on the dresser in Lee’s bedroom with a bullet missing from the loaded magazine.
A second deputy located Lee in a camper outside of the residence and took him into custody. He reported that Lee appeared highly intoxicated and smelled of alcohol while saying he was sorry.
Appearing in Yellow Medicine County District Court on Monday, Lee was charged with a felony count of second-degree assault along with two felony counts of reckless discharge of a firearm and a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault. A future hearing date is currently scheduled for June 27.
On Tuesday, Upper Sioux Community Chairman Kevin Jensvold confirmed that Lee was relieved of his duties on April 15, and is no longer employed with the Upper Sioux Police. Lee served as Upper Sioux Police chief for about 15 years.
COMMENTS