ST. PAUL, MN - Authorities confirmed that on Thursday, December 7th, a St. Paul police officer was shot in the ankle and an armed suspect was killed in an officer-involved shooting. Video has now been released of the incident.
According to the Associated Press (AP), during a news conference later that evening, St. Paul Police Sergeant Mike Ernster said that the incident happened around 2:00 p.m. after a woman called 911 to report that a man was following her in a vehicle, violating a protective order she had against him.
The woman told 911 dispatchers that the man, later identified as 24-year-old Brandon Keys, was armed with a handgun and was intentionally running his vehicle into hers, causing damage to her car.
In a statement about the incident, Ernster said, "When our officer arrived in the area of this call, he confronted the man and that man fired toward our officer with that handgun, striking him in the lower leg. Our officer returned fire, striking the man and critically injuring him."
The sergeant said that the officer, now identified as Officer Michael Tschida, was treated at a nearby hospital and later released. The suspect, however, was taken to the hospital where he died the next day from being shot in the head by Officer Tschida.
The victim was not injured.
CBS News reported that when the officer was later released, members of law enforcement were there to salute him as he left. Ernster said, "Our officers get called to these situations. When they're asked for help, they're going to respond."
According to reports, during a press conference, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said in a statement, "One of the most scary calls that a mayor can receive is that an officer has been injured by gunfire ... We are all breathing a sigh of relief that our officer is recovering. We are in prayer alongside the families of the involved individual and we are committed, just like we are in any other incident involving an officer-involved shooting, to the highest levels of transparency and accountability."
Mark Ross, St. Paul Police Federation president, said that the officer is "doing well" and that "there are heroes among us. He's one of them."
Ernster said that the officer was wearing an activated body camera and that the video footage will be given to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCA), which is the agency that will lead an investigation of the shooting. BCA spokeswoman Bonney Bowman said that the agency's Force Investigations Unit responded to the scene. However, she will not have additional information to share until the preliminary investigation is complete.
According to the AP, a BCA fact sheet on the investigation process states that the goal is to complete the investigation within 60 days and then forward their findings to the county prosecutor, whom will then decide if charges should be brought.
FOX 9 reported that the officer involved will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting. St. Paul Police Department Chief Axel Henry said, "Tonight, all of us are waiting to see the investigation play out. I have questions as I'm sure everybody does."
According to the Associated Press (AP), during a news conference later that evening, St. Paul Police Sergeant Mike Ernster said that the incident happened around 2:00 p.m. after a woman called 911 to report that a man was following her in a vehicle, violating a protective order she had against him.
The woman told 911 dispatchers that the man, later identified as 24-year-old Brandon Keys, was armed with a handgun and was intentionally running his vehicle into hers, causing damage to her car.
In a statement about the incident, Ernster said, "When our officer arrived in the area of this call, he confronted the man and that man fired toward our officer with that handgun, striking him in the lower leg. Our officer returned fire, striking the man and critically injuring him."
The sergeant said that the officer, now identified as Officer Michael Tschida, was treated at a nearby hospital and later released. The suspect, however, was taken to the hospital where he died the next day from being shot in the head by Officer Tschida.
The victim was not injured.
CBS News reported that when the officer was later released, members of law enforcement were there to salute him as he left. Ernster said, "Our officers get called to these situations. When they're asked for help, they're going to respond."
According to reports, during a press conference, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said in a statement, "One of the most scary calls that a mayor can receive is that an officer has been injured by gunfire ... We are all breathing a sigh of relief that our officer is recovering. We are in prayer alongside the families of the involved individual and we are committed, just like we are in any other incident involving an officer-involved shooting, to the highest levels of transparency and accountability."
Mark Ross, St. Paul Police Federation president, said that the officer is "doing well" and that "there are heroes among us. He's one of them."
Ernster said that the officer was wearing an activated body camera and that the video footage will be given to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCA), which is the agency that will lead an investigation of the shooting. BCA spokeswoman Bonney Bowman said that the agency's Force Investigations Unit responded to the scene. However, she will not have additional information to share until the preliminary investigation is complete.
According to the AP, a BCA fact sheet on the investigation process states that the goal is to complete the investigation within 60 days and then forward their findings to the county prosecutor, whom will then decide if charges should be brought.
FOX 9 reported that the officer involved will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, which is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting. St. Paul Police Department Chief Axel Henry said, "Tonight, all of us are waiting to see the investigation play out. I have questions as I'm sure everybody does."
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