Assault involves a crime of violence against another person. In Minnesota, assault charges are prosecuted according to the severity of the injury suffered and the relationship between the victim and the accused. Minnesota assault statutes contain six major categories of assault crimes:
First Degree Assault
- Second Degree Assault
- Third Degree Assault
- Fourth Degree Assault
- Fifth Degree Assault
- Domestic moduhbhhggAssault
First Degree Assault
Whoever assaults another and inflicts great bodily harm or uses deadly force against a peace officer or correctional employee or attempts to use deadly force against the officer or employee while the officer or employee is engaged in the performance of a duty imposed by law is guilty of first-degree assault.
Second Degree Assault
Whoever assaults another with a dangerous weapon and inflicts substantial bodily harm is guilty of second-degree assault in Minnesota.
Third Degree Assault
Whoever assaults another and inflicts substantial bodily harm, or who assaults a child and has a pattern of assaultive behavior upon a child is guilty of third-degree assault.
Fourth Degree Assault
An individual who assaults a peace officer, firefighter, emergency room doctor or nurse, natural resources employee, assaults a correctional employee or secured facility employee or engages in assault behavior driven by bias is guilty of fourth-degree assault in Minnesota.
Fifth Degree Assault
Whoever commits an act with intent to cause fear in another of immediate bodily harm or death; or intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm upon another is guilty of a fifth-degree assault.
Domestic Assault
Whoever commits an act with intent to cause fear in a family member of immediate bodily harm or death; or intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm upon another is guilty of domestic assault.