The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating a fatal St. Paul officer-involved shooting that occurred Saturday evening in the city’s West Seventh neighborhood.
Police were first dispatched just before 5 p.m. to the 100 block of Western Avenue on a report of a male with a knife who was waving the weapon around on the first floor of a building, according to dispatch audio. There was another dispatch in the same area reporting a male with a machete. The suspect was described as a 50-year-old Asian male in an old, dirty jacket.
An officer indicated over the air that he’d arrived in the area but was waiting for other squads to arrive. Other arriving officers indicated that they were going to cover the back door of the building. At 5:07 p.m., an officer called out, in what sounded like a chaotic scene, that shots had been fired and then called for medics. Another officer aired that they were going to “need everyone here.”
Further audio indicated that the knife had been taken away and that CPR was immediately being performed on the suspect.
St. Paul police released a statement a few hours later confirming that the male had been pronounced deceased at the scene and that a taser had been deployed as well as shots fired when the suspect advanced on officers:
“The incident occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. on the 100 block of Western Avenue South, in the city’s West Seventh neighborhood. Officers were called for a man who had been threatening people with a knife in the community room of the building. When officers arrived people inside the building directed officers to where the man with the knife was located.
Officers located him in a first-floor hallway of the building. The man had a knife in his hand and officers attempted to get him to drop the knife. The officers retreated as the man advanced towards them. One officer deployed a taser and another fired shots at the man. The man was struck by the gunfire. Officers called for Saint Paul Fire medics to respond and began providing first aid. The man was eventually pronounced deceased on scene. No officers were injured.
Officers were wearing body worn cameras that were activated and recording. The involved officers will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. Per police department policy, the BCA is conducting the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Once the investigation is complete, it will be forwarded to the county attorney for review.
Any further information about this incident, including the names of the people involved, will be released by the BCA. At this time, no further details are available.”
The address of the incident is the Winslow Commons, which its website states is a Section 8 affordable apartment building for residents aged 62 or over or who are disabled.
Alpha News will continue to follow developments in this story.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
