MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

CONTACT:

NEWS RELEASE
July 31, 2017

Bruce Gordon, Director of Communications

Jill Oliveira, 651-793-2726

BCA INVESTIGATING OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING

IN HOUSTON COUNTY
Alcohol
and Gambling
Enforcement
ST. PAUL The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Bureau of (BCA) is investigating an officer involved shooting incident that occurred early this morning
Criminal
Apprehension in Houston County.
Driver
and Vehicle
Two La Crescent Police Department officers encountered two male subjects behaving
Services suspiciously at the Kwik Trip at 319 S. 3rd Street in La Crescent around 1:30 a.m. Monday.
Emergency
Communication
After the two males left the gas station, the officers pulled over their vehicle at Highway 44
Networks and Highway 16 in Hokah. During the traffic stop, the officers encountered gunfire and they
Homeland returned fire.
Security and
Emergency The subjects vehicle fled the scene and a pursuit ensued. It ended when the subjects vehicle
Management
crashed into a bean field near Highway 44 & Carpenter Road in Caledonia. Both subjects
Minnesota
State Patrol
initially exited the vehicle and ran into the field. They eventually surrendered.

Office of One of the subjects injured during the incident was taken by ambulance to Gundersen
Communication
s
Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where he was treated for non-life
threatening injuries and released. He was then booked into the La Crosse County (Wisc.) Jail
Office of
Justice Programs on probable cause attempted murder.

Office of The uninjured male was booked into the Houston County Jail on probable cause attempted
Pipeline Safety
murder. Charges are expected within the next few days.
Office of
Traffic Safety Neither officer was injured during the incident. Both are on standard administrative leave.
State Fire
Marshal
The La Crescent Police Department does not use body cameras. Squad cameras captured
video of the shooting incident.

This investigation is in its very early stages. The BCA will provide additional information
once initial interviews with incident participants and any witnesses are completed. When the
investigation is complete, the BCA will turn its findings over to the Houston County
Attorneys Office for review.

(more)

The Houston County Sheriffs Office, Caledonia Police Department and Minnesota State
Patrol are providing assistance at the scenes.

445 Minnesota Street, Suite 100 Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101-5155 dps.mn.gov
facebook.com/MnPublicSafety @MnDPS_DPS
The BCA conducts officer involved shooting investigations the same way it does other
conflict investigations. BCA agents interview witnesses and the people involved in the
incident; collect, analyze and review evidence; and conduct follow-up interviews as
needed to ultimately find all of the facts of a case.

The agency involved in the incident has no input regarding the investigative direction
of the case. As an independent fact finder, the BCA does not decide or determine the
outcome of a case. As it does in all investigations, the BCA will present its findings
without recommendations to a county attorney for review.

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