MINNESOTA BUREAU OF CRIMINAL APPREHENSION INVESTIGATE ROSEVILLE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING

Agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating a Roseville police officer shooting that occurred at an apartment complex located 1610 County Road B in Roseville at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 2016. This shooting resulted in the death of a 52-year old Roseville man.

Roseville officers were dispatched to the address because of reports from residents of a loud disturbance occurring in a neighboring apartment on the complex’s third floor.

Upon arrival, uniform officers interviewed complex residents who reported hearing loud profanity-laced yelling, glass breaking and objects being thrown against interior walls of apartment number eleven. Residents report this disturbance had been on-going for approximately 10-15 minutes prior to residents calling the police dispatcher and stopped when police arrived. Residents also reported the resident has had “mental outbursts” in the past and residents were told by complex management to call police when disturbances occur.

Before making contact with the occupants of the apartment, officers listened at the door and could hear a male yelling, swearing and moving about inside. Officers described this male’s tone of voice as “agitated and distressed.”

When officers knocked and identified themselves, they reported the interior of the apartment became quiet. Officers report hearing someone walking towards the door. Police knocked and again identified themselves. Officers report they asked if the person was okay inside the apartment and to open the door.

A male from inside the apartment said he was “fine,” refused to open the door and began talking out loud to an unknown person. Officers report hearing the male indicate he was in need of money, had lost his wallet and was robbed. Officer’s report the male’s tone of voice was distressed and he sounded flustered.

Officers again knocked, announced their presence and offered assistance. The male responded stating he had lost his wallet, was fine but refused to open his apartment door.

Officers continued to knock on the door but received no further response from within the apartment.

Officers learned the name of the 52-year old resident and made several unsuccessful attempts to make contact with him via telephone. Officers also learned the resident had an active Ramsey County misdemeanor warrant for false information to a police officer.

Based upon the totality of the situation; the loud disturbance involving objects being thrown against walls, glass breakage, profanity-laced yelling, the apartment’s occupant stating he had been robbed, occupant(s) refusing to open the door, the resident on the lease having an active warrant for his arrest and the fear someone was being held against their will, injured and/or in need of help, officers forced entry into the apartment.

Prior to forcing entry, a department K9 officer and his partner were summoned to the location to provide less lethal force should it be necessary.

Before entering, officers announced they would be entering and warned occupants that a police canine would be used to search the apartment.

Entry was made and the apartment was searched. As the officers were searching the unit’s bedroom, the canine alerted to the room’s closet. When officers ordered the person in the closet to surrender, he opened the closet door and stabbed the canine in the head with an 8” to 10” kitchen knife.

Officers fearing for their life and the life of the canine fired their service weapons which resulted in the attacker falling to the floor. Officers attempted life support aid but the attacker was pronounced dead at the scene.

Roseville officers secured the scene and requested agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to the scene.

The BCA will be the lead investigative agency for this officer-involved shooting.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the name of the 52-year old deceased male later today or tomorrow.

The Roseville officers involved in this shooting incident have been identified as:
K9 Officer John Jorgensen – 18-year veteran
Officer Kyle Eckert – 4-year veteran

Officers Jorgensen, Eckert and three additional officers who witnessed the shooting have been placed on a 3-day administrative leave which is common practice for officers involved in critical incidents.

The injured canine was examined at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Hospital and determined to have a non-life threating injury to his head. K9 Otis was released from the hospital and is currently recovering at home with his handler Officer Jorgensen.

The Roseville Police Department has had four previous contacts with the 52-year old deceased male within the previous nine months.

Those four police contacts are as follows:
05-25-2015: Transport Hold
07-10-2015: Transport Hold
07-12-2015: Victim of a Theft
12-12-2015: Arrested and booked for False Name to a Police Officer