MINNEAPOLIS _ A Burnsville, Minn., man went on a violent and racially fueled tirade, breaking out the window on a car owned by a Muslim man outside a Bloomington apartment building and uttering a racial slur while threatening to kill a bystander while brandishing a large piece of metal, according to prosecutors.
Jason R. Gerardy, 39, was charged last week in Hennepin County District Court with two felonies, making threats of violence and causing more than $1,000 in property damage. Gerardy remains jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail ahead of a court appearance Thursday.
Gerardy's criminal history in Minnesota spans his entire adult life and includes five convictions for disorderly conduct, three for violating orders for protection, two for theft and one each for attempted theft, check forgery and assault.
According to the criminal complaint:
About 10:20 p.m. on Nov. 23, witnesses told police outside the apartments near 9100 Old Cedar Avenue that a man was smashing car windows with a large piece of metal in a parking lot.
Police found Gerardy walking nearby on Old Cedar Avenue and bleeding badly from his right hand and yelling profanities at the officers.
Gerardy told the officers he smashed windows on two of his father's cars after they argued and also broke "some Somalian's windows" because "he's a (racial slur) and doesn't pay taxes," the complaint quoted him as saying.
One of the vehicle owners, a Somali who also is Muslim, said he was "afraid of him" since Gerardy had made comments to others who live in the apartment building that he does not like Muslims.
A man visiting his girlfriend told police he was on a first-floor balcony and saw Gerardy smashing car windows. Gerardy hoisted the piece of metal and yelled, "I'm going to kill you," and punctuated the threat with a profanity and a racial epithet.
Gerardy's father said he's afraid his son will kill someone and occasionally goes into fits of rage.
