A 29-year-old Brainerd man faces several felony charges after charging a police officer in a squad car with a knife, allegedly telling hospital staff that he was going to “be the next school shooter” and threatening to kill an officer and his family.
Nicholas Reese Clements was charged Thursday, Feb. 4, in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd for first-degree assault using deadly force against a police officer, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and making threats of violence.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Clements, Brainerd police were called just before 4 p.m. Feb. 2 to a report of an intoxicated person stumbling and falling in the road near Walgreens at the intersection of Northwest Fourth Street and West Washington Street in Brainerd.
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An officer arrived on scene and identified Clements, who was stumbling at the northwest corner of the intersection. As the officer drove toward Clements, Clements charged the police squad car. According to the complaint, the officer could clearly see a small knife in his right hand and Clements had his eyes focused on the officer.
Clements approached the driver's side door of the squad car and either hit it or tried to open it. The officer said he believed Clements was trying to attack him and kill him, the court document stated. The officer put his squad car in reverse and backed it up across the intersection to try to gain distance and separation from Clements, who continued to charge his squad car at a full run with the knife still in his hand. Clements reached the squad car and attacked either the driver's side front door or the driver's side rear door, the officer said.
The officer lost sight of Clements, pulled his squad car forward and made a U-turn in the intersection. At one point, the officer heard a loud bang or crash on his vehicle, he put his squad car in reverse and backed it up against a snowbank where the vehicle got stuck. At this time, the officer watched Clements stand in front of his squad car for a few seconds before kneeling on the ground and tossing the knife that was in his hand.
Once he was on the ground, the officer handcuffed Clements without further incident.
Several other officers arrived on scene and another officer recovered the knife. Police searched Clements and found another folding knife in his left pants pocket and a pipe with burned residue that appeared consistent with that of burned marijuana.
While police transported Clements to the Crow Wing County Jail, Clements said, "I want to (expletive) die," or something similar. Police escorted Clements to a holding cell, leaving him in handcuffs due to his violent behavior. Clements appeared to be intoxicated or under the influence at that time and was mumbling and yelling words.
Due to his actions and behavior, an officer transported him to the hospital for a medical evaluation prior to booking him into jail. While at the hospital, Clements made comments about owning a bulletproof vest, how he was going to “be the next school shooter,” that he owns a gun and badge and was going to kill one of the officers and his family, the court document stated.
Clements was evaluated by medical staff and then cleared for transportation to the jail.
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Clements made his first appearance in front of Judge Patrica A. Aanes, who ordered unconditional bond at $50,000 or release from jail with no bond if Clements followed the following conditions: keep all his future court hearings, take his prescribed medications properly, not enter any bars or liquor establishments, not possess any dangerous weapons and not use any alcohol or controlled substances.
Clements was released from jail and his next court appearance is March 24.
