Police report: Cottage Grove man pulled gun on bar patrons

A Cottage Grove man was arrested late Sunday after allegedly pulling a loaded handgun on patrons at a St. Paul Park bar.

Police arrested Eric W. Steil, 44, on suspicion of several assault and weapons-related crimes after officers flooded the bar at Hidden Harbor Marina around 10:20 p.m. for a reported assault involving a firearm.

According to an initial police report:

When police showed up at Vinny’s on the River, they found the suspect, identified as Steil, outside and detained him.

Inside the bar, alleged victims and witnesses told police that Steil had pointed a 9 mm handgun at a male patron. That patron, who was not identified in the report, admitted that he then struck Steil in the head in self defense as other patrons took the gun from Steil and forced him outside.

As he was leaving the bar, Steil allegedly yelled that he would be back with another gun.

Police said that Steil was “extremely intoxicated” and did not have a permit to carry a handgun. He was booked into Washington County Jail on suspicion of second-degree assault, making terroristic threats and two weapons-related violations, one a gross misdemeanor.

Police recovered a 9 mm handgun and a pistol magazine with six rounds, the report said.

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