Minneapolis man sets girlfriend on fire, charged with second-degree attempted murder

A Minneapolis man is charged with attempted second-degree murder and first-degree assault for strangling and lighting his girlfriend on fire in North Minneapolis, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Wednesday.

Richard Edwin Bullock, 46, is also charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Bullock is in custody and prosecutors are seeking $750,000 in bail.

According to the complaint, Bullock and his girlfriend were drinking inside a recreational vehicle parked near 5100 Colfax Ave. N. when around 3 a.m. Sept. 16 they began arguing. Another woman who lived nearby heard them fighting and went to the vehicle where she witnessed what happened.

She saw Bullock suddenly jump up from a table and punch his girlfriend multiple times in the face. Bullock then strangled his girlfriend four times, stopping when she would pass out, resuming when she started breathing again. Bullock continued the assault on his girlfriend by striking her in the head and body multiple times with a metal object, the complaint continues.

Bullock ignored pleas to stop from both women and said he was going to set his girlfriend on fire. He proceeded to grab a bottle of rubbing alcohol, doused her with the liquid, and strike his lighter, causing her to become engulfed in flames, the complaint states.

He tried to extinguish his girlfriend by dumping water on her and by removing her fiery clothes. His girlfriend managed to escape from the RV and drive herself to the hospital where she is currently in a medically induced coma and being treated for second and third-degree burns.

The witness left the RV and went back into her house but Bullock followed and threatened her with a pink handgun, saying, “you will not make it to trial to testify against me,” the complaint states.

Bullock was found shortly after the incident by the Minneapolis Violent Criminal Apprehension Team at 5413 Logan Avenue N. Officers were able to arrest Bullock following a brief chase through the backyard.

A search warrant executed by police of 5413 Logan Avenue N. found a pink handgun belonging to Bullock.

Richard Edwin Bullock Complaint (PDF)