
New Details Released in Rochester Officer-Involved Shooting
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Rochester police have released some additional information concerning the fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred last night.
At an afternoon news conference, Police Chief Jim Franklin indicated that he was limited in what he could disclose because the deadly incident is being investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. It is expected that the BCA will release more details in the coming days.
Response to Mental Health Crisis
Chief Franklin says officers were called to an apartment in the 1900 block of Ashland Drive Northwest around 9:30 PM Wednesday. They were sent in response to a domestic situation involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis who was threatening young children in the residence.
72 Hour Emergency Hold
According to Franklin, the officers were accompanied by a social worker who, after consulting with a supervising clinician, determined that the man posed an imminent threat to himself and others. At that point, it was decided to place the man on a 72-hour emergency hold.
Gun Discharged After Man Grabbed It
The police chief says the officers at the scene and the social worker then spent a considerable amount of time attempting to de-escalate the situation and convince the man to voluntarily comply, but he grew more agitated and engaged in a struggle when an officer moved to take him into custody. During the struggle, Franklin says the man was able to grab hold of an officer’s firearm while it was still in the holster, and the gun discharged.
Second Officer Shot Man
Chief Franklin says a second officer then joined the struggle to bring the man under control and, at some point, discharged his firearm and shot the individual. Emergency medical personnel were immediately summoned to the scene, and life-saving measures were administered, but the man was pronounced dead after arriving at St. Mary’s Hospital.
His name and the names of the officers involved have not been released. Franklin says the officers have been placed on critical incident leave, which is standard procedure.
Body Cameras Were Activated
Franklin also stated that the officers’ body cameras were activated and recorded portions of the fatal incident. Those recordings have been given to the BCA for use in its investigation. He also noted that the individual had previously been the subject of calls for service involving law enforcement and social services personnel.
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Gallery Credit: Minnesota Now



