Prosecution files motion for aggravated sentence in racially motivated assault case

(ABC 6 News) – The Mower County Attorney’s Office filed a motion to seek an aggravated, or harsher-than-usual sentence against an Austin man accused of a racially motivated assault.

John Bradley Shea, 42, made his second Mower County Court appearance Monday, April 29, after allegedly threatening a Hispanic man with a gun while children played nearby, then fighting police in a racially charged incident.

The attorney’s office’s motion, filed Thursday, April 25, notes that the court is seeking an aggravated sentence because Shea allegedly targeted the man based on race, and because there were children present during the alleged crime.

Shea is scheduled to appear again for a pretrial hearing May 31, followed by a trial June 10.

He remains in the Mower County Jail on $15,000 bail with conditions, or $50,000 bail with no conditions.

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(ABC 6 News) – An Austin man faces seven threat and assault charges after allegedly attacking a Hispanic man, then fighting police in a racially charged incident Monday.

John Bradley Shea, 42, appeared in Mower County Court April 17 on one charge of felony threats of terror–reckless disregard risk; two charges of felony threats of terror–display or brandish replica firearm; a felony charge of 4th-degree assault of a peace officer–demonstrable bodily harm; a gross misdemeanor charge of 4th-degree assault–motivated by bias; a gross misdemeanor charge of obstructing the legal process; and a misdemeanor charge of 5th-degree assault–fear of bodily harm or death.

According to court documents, at about 8 p.m. Monday, April 15, Austin police went to the 600 block of 11th Avenue SW after a 9-1-1 call ended abruptly.

According to court documents, a man told police Shea had threatened him with a gun.

According to court documents, the man said Shea had a history of using racial slurs against him, and on that day, the man told Shea to come out of his garage, facing his home, and talk to him.

Shea allegedly took a blue gun out of a visible holster, cocked it, and pointed it at the man.

According to court documents, the man told police Shea had threatened him with a firearm in the past.

Court documents state that during the incident, the man’s juvenile son and a friend were playing nearby, and an older woman was in the backyard.

The woman told police she had pressed an alarm button, calling 9-1-1, during the incident because she was afraid to find a phone and do so.

According to court documents, officers attempted to call Shea from in front of his home, during which he “yelled at officers, stating ‘I can see you.'”

Court documents noted that Shea had multiple security cameras at his residence, as well as signs stating that the resident of the home would shoot trespassers, and demeaning Shea’s neighbors and Spanish-speaking people in general.

Police allegedly noticed that Shea was keeping his hands in his pocket and asked him to keep them visible — at which point, he allegedly lunged toward his front door, prompting a struggle just inside his home.

An Austin police officer allegedly struck Shea and tased him once in order to gain control.

Shea was taken to Mayo Clinic to be medically cleared, during which he allegedly made a series of statements demeaning his neighbor based on race, gave a police officer of Hispanic descent “dirty looks,” and only interacted with the white officer supervising him, according to court documents.

According to court documents, law enforcement searched Shea’s home and located guns powered by C02 cylinders, which fire rubber bullets around the size of a .45 caliber bullet.

“The guns have no markings or indications on them that would make a person believe they are not real,” court documents claim.

Shea’s charging documents list the following items found in his home:

1. One (1) CO2 revolver in (a juvenile)’s bedroom,
2. One (1) AR15 lower receiver jig kit in basement,
3. One (1) AR barrel kit in basement,
4. Blue C02 pistol in holster inside the defendant’s closet,
5. Pistol case with two black C02 pistols on the closet floor,
6. A C02 rifle in the closet,
7. Two (2) metal ammunition boxes containing ammunition for 9mm and .223 as well as magazines for
   firearms (AR and handgun),
8. Two (2) body armor vests in the closet.

Shea is held in the Mower County Jail on $15,000 bail with conditions, including surrendering firearms and other weapons, or $50,000 bail with no conditions. His next court hearing is scheduled for April 29.