Crime & Safety

SLP Man Accused of Threatening to Kill Woman

Jelani Abiola Jernigan is charged with making terroristic threats after police say he pointed a loaded handgun at the victim and threatened to kill her.

A St. Louis Park man has been charged with threatening to kill a woman when they argued over her dinner preparations.

Jelani Abiola Jernigan, 25, is charged with  making terroristic threats—a felony with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, signed by St. Louis Park Police Det. Matt Reilly, police were called to a home in the 4100 block of Meadowbrook Lane April 23 on a report of a domestic disturbance.

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Police spoke to the victim, who told them that she and Jernigan have a child in common and that she is pregnant with a second child of Jernigan’s. She said she and Jernigan began arguing over the way she was preparing dinner, and the argument became violent.

At one point, Jernigan pointed a loaded handgun at the victim and said, “You stupid [expletive], you think this is a game? You think I won’t kill you?,” according to the complaint.

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The victim and Jernigan met with Jernigan’s parents the next day, and his parents told her that Jernigan hadn’t hurt her too badly because she hadn’t ended up in the hospital, the complaint charges. After his parents left, Jernigan became angry that she had told them about his threats, and punched her in the side of her head, according to the complaint.

The victim hid in a bathroom and called her mother, who called police, according to Reilly’s account.

Police arrested Jernigan and later recovered a .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun, along with two loaded magazines and additional ammunition, the complaint charges.

Jernigan is free on a $30,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in his case is scheduled for May 24 in Hennepin County District Court.


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