A 23-year-old Mahnomen man is facing felony assault charges after a confrontation outside Shooting Star Casino early on October 4 that allegedly left a victim pushed to the ground, struck in the head, and threatened with both a knife and a claimed gun. Daeshawn Sequoyah Houle was charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fifth-degree assault as a gross misdemeanor.
According to mncrime.com, the charges stem from a complaint filed October 26 in Mahnomen County District Court. The outlet reports that a sergeant responded to a report of an assault at the Shooting Star Casino at about 2:46 a.m. on October 4.
What the Complaint Describes
Per the complaint, the victim said he had left his hotel room to have a cigarette near the back entrance by the Star Mart Gas Station when a younger male confronted him near the gas pumps. The victim told the man to leave him alone and asked what his problem was, the report's account of the complaint states.
The station's report indicates the younger male then pushed the victim to the ground twice and hit his head a couple of times. The man also pulled out a folding switchblade-type knife and said he would stab the victim, though the victim reported that the knife was not fully extended, according to the same account. The younger male additionally claimed to have a gun and threatened to pull it on the victim, the complaint says. The victim told investigators he was scared and continued trying to get away.
Surveillance Footage and the Knife Question
Surveillance video reportedly showed the victim and the younger male exchanging swings in the Star Mart Gas Station parking lot, with the younger male appearing to be the primary aggressor and following the victim through the lot, per the complaint. No knife was seen in the footage, the report notes. Houle was later identified as the younger male, and no knife was found on him when he was arrested; he denied having a knife, according to the complaint.
What the Charges Could Mean
Under Minnesota law, a person convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon can face imprisonment of not more than seven years, a fine of not more than $14,000, or both, according to the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes. That penalty range reflects what the statute allows and does not indicate any outcome in Houle's case.
