Police Say Felon Fired Shots Through Neighbors' House in Otsego

Police say a bullet that fired through an Otsego woman's living room Sunday shot through the wall just inches from where she was sitting.

Police allege that her neighbor, Devin Charles Petersen, 45, recklessly shot the gun from his house while he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, according to a criminal complaint filed this week at the Wright County District Court.

Petersen, who is a convicted felon, was arrested Sunday and charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, false information to police and convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

According to the criminal complaint, police found that the bullet entered the house, at the 8200th block of Parell Ave. NE in Otsego, six inches to a foot away from where the woman was sitting.

The woman told police the shots appeared to be fired from her neighbor's house behind her, according to the complaint. She and the other adult living in the house, the homeowners, were not named in the criminal complaint.

The homeowners told a Wright County Sheriff's deputy at the scene that they heard "five loud pops" believed to be gun fire, and heard one bullet come through the wall.

The copper bullet, which the homeowners found, hit a dresser in their living room. Their 16-year-old daughter was also home at the time of the incident.

When police spoke to Petersen, they "saw signs that the defendant was under the influence of alcohol in that the defendant's speech was slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and watery, he could not maintain his balance, and a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was coming from defendant," according to the complaint.

Petersen refused to take an alcohol breath test, stated the report.

When speaking to Petersen, the officer noticed shell casings on the stairs to the deck at Petersen's home and a couple of casings underneath the stairs on the ground, the report continued.

Another officer came to assist when Petersen admitted shooting a gun "about five times in the area of his fire pit," the report stated.

The complaint states that a search warrant of Petersen's home resulted in the recovery of:

• A 9mm Ruger P89 semi­automatic handgun with a magazine that contained multiple 9mm rounds of ammunition in Petersen's bedroom.
• A nylon holster from Petersen's bedroom. 
• A pellet rifle and multiple rounds of ammunition in the lower level of the home.
• Five spent casings from outside the home in the area of the deck. The casings were 9mm Luger FC casings and matched the cartridges found in the 9mm handgun found in Petersen's bedroom.

State records show Petersen was convicted of a felony in 2002, a fifth-degree controlled substance crime, which makes it illegal for him to possess a firearm.

Wright County District Court prosecutors have charged him with three alleged counts: possessing a weapon for a crime of violence, dangerous or intentional discharge of a firearm that endangers safety, and reckless discharge of a firearm within a municipality.

Each charge carries with it a felony-level penalty, if convicted.

Petersen remains in jail on a $150,000 bail without conditions, or $75,000 bail with conditions.