2 charged in incident involving firearm, pursuit

Two Mankato men are facing felony charges after an alleged pursuit with police that led to the recovery of a weapon.

The arrests came as police were investigating a shooting in the same area from the previous evening.

Kueth Chuol Ngut, 19, and Jal Chol Dhul, 21, are accused of fleeing Mankato police on Tuesday night when officers attempted to stop their vehicle.  Ngut also faces firearms charges.

Mankato Department of Public Safety spokesman Dan Schisel confirmed that rounds had been shot Monday just before midnight at a house on the 1300 block of Carney Ave.  The shooting remains under investigation, and neither Ngut nor Dhul has been charged in that incident.  Ngut was identified as a possible suspect, according to a criminal complaint.

Schisel said investigators received information the following evening that the shooting suspects were returning to the area.  Police eventually located a vehicle believed to be involved and attempted to initiate a traffic stop.

The complaint says Dhul was driving the suspect vehicle and led police on a pursuit before finally stopping.  Ngut and Dhul then fled on foot, say court documents.

Officers reported hearing the sound of a metal object hitting something during the foot pursuit.  Meanwhile, Ngut allegedly made his way back to the vehicle, where jumped in and fled at high speeds.  The vehicle was located about a half-mile away, according to the complaint.  Ngut was apprehended a short distance from the car.

Investigators say Ngut refused to disclose who he was and had to be identified by fingerprint.

A 9mm handgun and an extended magazine with 31 bullets were discovered where officers heard the metal sound, according to the complaint.  Police say the gun had no serial number.

Police initially received a complaint Monday from a man who said he was getting out of his vehicle when he heard loud sounds like fireworks.  The man told officers he’d heard projectiles hit his house and whiz past him. He reported he’d been struck in the chest by something, and it hurt, but didn’t pierce his skin.  Police found four to five holes in the house siding, according to the complaint.

Ngut and Dhul are each charged with felony fleeing police.  Ngut also faces a felony charge of possession of a firearm with no serial number.