St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said 27-year-old Samuel Flowers has been arrested and booked into the Ramsey County Jail after he allegedly shot at officers who tried to make a traffic stop along St. Anthony Avenue just north of I-94 Monday around 11 p.m.

Axel said offers did not return fire and “luckily no one was injured during the incident.”

Axel also said Flowers was known to law enforcement.

“Mr. Flowers is currently under intense supervised release. He was released from the Minnesota Department of Corrections on March 4th, 2024,” said Henry. “He was in custody for assault in the first-degree and dangerous weapons drive-by shooting. He was released, like I said, in March 2024, and shortly thereafter that month he was arrested again for a weapons charge.”

Investigators said Flowers used steel-tipped bullets that pierce body armor and that the rifle was found loaded on the front seat of his car, and he had suspected fentanyl and cocaine on his person when arrested.

St. Paul Police Federation President Mark Ross told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS violent felons who possess and use illegal weapons need to face stiffer consequences.

“What needs to happen is that criminals that commit crimes with guns need to know that if they’re caught, they’re going to prison for a long time,” said Ross. “And that’s the best deterrent for gun violence, in my opinion. We have to drop the hammer on these people.”

Flowers was booked on multiple felony charges, including attempted murder, but no charges have yet been filed.