Drive-By Shooting Follows Drug Deal Gone Bad in South St. Paul

Two South St. Paul teens were charged Aug. 13 with felony drive-by shooting after police say they repeatedly shot BB guns at a group of people following a drug deal gone bad. 

According to a Dakota County criminal complaint, a group of teenagers arranged to purchase a quantity of marijuana from Eric Christopher Ransom, 18, and Amber Nicole Waldera, also 18.

When one of the potential buyers called Waldera to cancel the deal, she reportedly got angry and instructed them to meet her at the corner of 4th Ave. S and Southview Blvd.

Witnesses told police that they saw Waldera's black Buick approach the meeting place and, once it arrived, saw Ransom begin shooting out the car window.

The complaint states that the car drove off but made a second pass with several more shots fired from the window. It also states the car pulled into a parking lot and shots were fired at individuals hiding behind vehicles.

South St. Paul police officers searched the area and found a brass BB next to a vehicle used by one of the alleged victim’s as cover. They also found a BB embedded in a nearby fence.  

Two of the people present at the scene also showed police puncture wounds from BB shots. 

During a post-arrest interview, Waldera admitted to driving the vehicle and shooting a BB gun once. Ransom, on the other hand, made no statement to police.  

The charges against Waldera and Ransom carry with them a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.