Crime & Safety

D.A.: Accused Dana Point Gunman Also Used a Crossbow

Julian St. John is charged with multiple offenses, including two counts of attempted murder.

A man suspected of shooting a man in the hand in Dana Point Sunday and then fleeing the scene, leading law enforcement officers from multiple agencies on a chase, was charged with attempted murder today as new details about the crime emerged.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, Julian St. John, 49, Orange, is charged with:

  • Two felony counts of attempted murder
  • Two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon
  • Two felony counts of assault with a firearm
  • One felony count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling
  • One felony count of attempted false imprisonment by violence or deceit
  • One felony count of unlawful taking of vehicle
  • One felony count of evading while driving recklessly

He also faces sentencing enhancements for the personal discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury, personal discharge of a firearm, personal use of a firearm, and great bodily injury.

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St. John visited Sunday morning the house in the 32500 block of Crete Road, where he grabbed a crossbow, loaded it and shot the first victim in the forehead, according to the DA press release.

He then grabbed a fire extinguisher and hit the first victim in the head several times, chasing him into the backyard, then back into the house, prosecutors allege.

Find out what's happening in Laguna Niguel-Dana Pointwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

St. John next took out a firearm and shot the first victim in the hand, according to the DA.

The victim ran into a bathroom and locked the door, after which St. John allegedly fired a shot through the bathroom door and lodging a bullet in the wall, according to the release.

Then St. John threatened the second victim with a firearm before fleeing the scene in the first victim’s car, prosecutors allege.

Orange County Sheriff’s deputies gave chase, and managed to pull their squad car in front of St. John at an I-5 off-ramp, according to the press release.

“The defendant is accused of accelerating toward the deputy and back on to the I-5 and evading the deputy,” says the statement.

“The defendant is accused of accelerating toward the deputy and back on to the I-5 and evading the deputy. “St. John is accused of driving through a fence at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station and fleeing the scene on foot.”

State park rangers eventually caught up to him early Monday morning.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 52 years to life in state prison, according to DA press release. He is being held on $2 million bail and is scheduled to be arraigned 10 a.m. Wednesday. 


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