Celebrity chef Justin Sutherland charged with threatening to shoot girlfriend in St. Paul

Movie star chef Justin Sutherland was charged Monday after his arrest on allegations that he threatened to shoot his girlfriend final week in St. Paul and hit her with a gun.

Sutherland, 39, was charged in Ramsey County District Courtroom with felony threats of violence in reference to the incident Friday night time within the 800 block of Entrance Avenue shortly after 8 p.m., when police responded to a name a few man with a gun.

The girl instructed police that Sutherland pointed a gun at her, struck her within the chest with the weapon and vowed to shoot her, the prison grievance learn. Fearing for her life, she put up her arms and pleaded to not be shot, the grievance continued.

A listening to was scheduled for Sutherland later Monday, when a decide is predicted to set bail. Courtroom information don’t but checklist an legal professional for him. He has utilized to the decide to have a public defender appointed for him, based on court docket information.

Officers arrested Sutherland throughout what turned out to be a second go to from police that night regarding a report of home violence. Whereas jailed, the prison grievance learn, Sutherland referred to as the accusations a lie.

Sutherland was the unique govt chef for the Good-looking Hog, a southern-style restaurant in St. Paul that opened in 2016. He has severed ties with the eatery however has since opened a breakfast sandwich store, Huge E, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul.

He was also planning to open a new restaurant together with his father, Kerry Sutherland, within the former house of the Golden Thyme Cafe in St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. Final month he introduced plans to open Pearl & the Thief on the bottom ground of the 22-story O2 Luxurious Tower in Minneapolis’ Mill District.

Sutherland has made a number of appearances on TV, competing on “Prime Chef” and profitable “Iron Chef America.” He gained an Emmy for his internet sequence “Style the Tradition.”

In line with the prison grievance:

A caller to 911 reported shortly after 8 p.m. seeing a person, later recognized as Sutherland, with a gun enter the again door of a constructing together with a girl along with her arms up.

About the identical time, a second 911 caller stated she was facetiming along with her sister, who stated her boyfriend was making an attempt to kill her. This caller may hear Sutherland say, “I want you had been lifeless proper now.” The caller added that Sutherland had his arms round her sister’s neck. He additionally took the telephone away from her sister and threw it down, the caller stated.

Police arrived and noticed Sutherland exit the again of the constructing. An officer ordered him to face away and put his arms on his head. ” ‘I referred to as 911, and also you making an attempt to [expletive] arrest me?’ ” the grievance quoted him as screaming. ” ‘It is best to simply [expletive] kill me.’ “

Sutherland adopted the officer’s instructions throughout the arrest however yelled racially derogatory remarks on the officer.

One other man exited the constructing and instructed police that he and Sutherland have been longtime buddies. He instructed police that Sutherland moved into the constructing per week earlier and was planning to open a restaurant there. Within the meantime, the buddy stated, Sutherland was dwelling there in an condominium.

Sutherland texted him that day and stated that he and his girlfriend had been preventing. The buddy stated he was on the way in which assist calm issues down.

The “visibly shaking and crying” girlfriend instructed police that she and Sutherland have been a pair for the previous two years, they usually had been arguing about him telling her that they weren’t going to a music pageant.

She additionally stated he was taking out on her the difficulty he was having about neighbors appearing racist towards him. That is when she referred to as her sister. She stated he squeezed her neck briefly with each arms and stated, ” ‘I need you lifeless.’ “

She stated she ran to a neighbor’s house to make use of a telephone, and Sutherland walked out of the constructing with a handgun and instructed her that he would shoot her if she returned. As she approached him, the girlfriend continued, Sutherland pointed the gun at her after which hit her within the chest with the weapon. She stated she put up her arms and stated, ” ‘Do not shoot me.’ “

In a follow-up interview with police, the girl stated Sutherland warned her, ” ‘Take two extra steps. I dare you.’ “

She stated the buddy quickly arrived and disarmed Sutherland, who screamed at her that he needed her lifeless. She described the gun to police and stated he has different firearms within the residence.

A search of the residence by police turned up a gun case on a mattress with two handguns inside. One among them appeared to have blood on it. Sutherland’s arms had been bloody when police arrived. Officers additionally discovered within the house eight different weapons and ammunition.

She stated Sutherland has been bodily and verbally abusive to her previously together with when he broke her automobile windshield two days earlier.

Police had been on the residence about 90 minutes earlier, when the girlfriend referred to as 911 and stated Sutherland choked her and tried to kick her out of the condominium. She refused to offer dispatch his identify and stored disconnecting from 911. Officers spoke to her, and she or he stated all the pieces was advantageous. No arrest was made stemming from the sooner name.