Two Fergus Falls Men Arrested After Shots Were Fired at a Camper

Terrell Carter and Justin Ruiz (OTCDF)

Fergus Falls, MN – Two men in Fergus Falls are facing assault charges after an incident involving multiple gunshots being fired last weekend.

According to court documents, the Fergus Falls Police Department responded to a report of a camper being shot on Sunday, January 19th. Upon arrival, the owner of the camper told officials that her significant other, 21-year-old Justin Kyle Ruiz, had been in contact with a man who came over that evening to acquire marijuana. The acquaintance brought another man with him, later identified as 21-year-old Terrell Jamal Carter. After the pair arrived, an incident occurred outside the camper between Carter and Ruiz that resulted with two bullets striking the camper.

Ruiz claimed to officers that he pulled out his gun after Carter made a threatening statement, insinuating he was going to shoot up the camper. Ruiz says Carter then pulled out his own firearm before running behind a vehicle and slipping. Ruiz says right after Carter slipped, he heard a gunshot. He thought Carter had gotten up and shot. At that point, Ruiz says he attempted to aim at Carter with his own firearm, but could not really see him behind the vehicle. He says he then went into the camper and another gunshot hit the camper.

After later being detained by officers in suspicion of being involved in this incident, Carter told officers that when he arrived at the camper, Ruiz reached for a firearm at his waistband. Carter claims he was afraid for his life, so he ran away from the camper and slipped, at which point, he says he found another one of Ruiz’s firearms on the ground, picked it up, and shot once behind him as he fled.

Both Ruiz and Carter are in custody at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility facing 2nd Degree Assault charges and their own misdemeanor charges. They made their first court appearance Wednesday morning (January 22nd).