The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) is investigating an officer involved shooting that happened Tuesday night in rural Aitkin County. The BCA is conducting the investigation at the request of the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office.
Around 4:25 p.m. Tuesday the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a request to check on the welfare of a suicidal woman. Aitkin County sheriff’s deputies encountered the woman’s vehicle and followed her to 340th Place near Highway 210 and Highway 169 in Fleming Township. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer who was in the area also responded to the scene.
According to the preliminary investigation, when law enforcement arrived, the woman remained in her vehicle and displayed a firearm, threatening to harm herself. Over approximately 90 minutes, responding officers attempted to convince the woman to discard her weapons. At one point she emerged from the vehicle. At least twice during the exchange, the woman fired shots at the officers. At around 7:10 p.m. officers returned fire, striking the woman.
Officers attempted to render aid at the scene. The woman was then airlifted to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale where she died.
Initial interviews with the officers have been completed.
- Deputy Lawrence Derksen has been with the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office for 24 years
- Deputy Greg Payment has been with the sheriff’s office for 10 years
- Lt. Jeff Koehn has been a conservation officer with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for 10 years
All three are on standard administrative leave.
The woman’s body has been taken to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy and formal identification. Information about the woman will be released by the medical examiner once the autopsy is complete and family notification has taken place.
This is an ongoing and active investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, the BCA will turn its findings over to the Aitkin County Attorney’s Office for review.
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