Minnesota Deputies Who Shot Knife-Wielding Suspect Identified

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News)- Authorities have identified the Minnesota deputies who shot a knife-wielding suspect last week. 

See Also: Police Shoot & Kill Woman Who Pointed Gun at Officers in St. Paul

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) responded to the officer-involved shooting on May 4 in Chanhassen. Deputies from the Carver County Sheriff’s Office were called to a domestic incident at a home in the western Twin Cities suburb. 

Preliminary information released on the incident indicated two deputies fired their service weapons and their bullets struck the man. He was given aid at the scene then transported to a hospital. 

Deputies & Suspect Armed with Knife Identified in Minnesota Officer-Involved Shooting

On Wednesday the BCA identified the deputies who fired on the suspect as James Horvath, who has 19 years of law enforcement experience, and Benjamin Sinko, who has been in law enforcement for 4.5 years. 

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The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old Derrek West of Bloomington. He is now in stable condition at a Twin Cities hospital, the BCA says. 

A news release issued by the BCA says West came out of the home wearing a white face covering and holding a knife while deputies were speaking with the person who reported the domestic incident. 

West then charged at the deputies who ordered him to drop the knife. He refused commands from law enforcement to drop the knife and continued charging towards the deputies, causing one of the law officers to stumble and fall backwards, the news release says. 

Deputies Horvath and Sinko then shot West multiple times and began rendering aid. BCA agents recovered a 10-inch knife at the scene and located multiple shell casings, officials say. 

Investigators also obtained body-worn camera footage captured by deputies Horvath and Sinko. All available video is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation, the BCA says. 

Upon completion of its investigation, the BCA will present their findings to the Carver County Attorney’s Office without a recommendation. 

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