ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the officers involved in an arrest in St. Cloud on Wednesday during which a man became unresponsive and later died.
- Officer Brandon Leuthardt has been with the St. Cloud Police Department for four years. Officer Leuthardt deployed his Taser.
- Officer Jessica Schlieman has been with the department for 24 years. Officer Schlieman deployed her Taser.
- Officer Zachary Scholl has been with the department for one year.
Officers Schlieman and Scholl sustained minor injuries during the arrest that did not require medical treatment. All three officers are on standard administrative leave.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office on Thursday identified the deceased man as David John Beckes, 41, of 23 Wilson Avenue S.E. in St. Cloud. Mr. Beckes’ cause and manner of death are pending toxicology testing and microscopic examination results.
Officers arrived at Beckes’ apartment on March 4 at 3:16 p.m. in response to 9-1-1 call of a reported assault-in-progress. The victim indicated earlier during the call that she was being assaulted and choked by Beckes. The victim reported prior to the attack that Beckes was unresponsive and then appeared to have had a seizure.
When officers did not receive a response at the door they forced entry into the home. Officers encountered Beckes in a bedroom. Beckes did not comply with officer commands and resisted arrest. At one point, two of the officers deployed their Tasers.
At one point following the arrest Beckes became unresponsive. Officers immediately began medical attention and Beckes was taken by Mayo Ambulance to the St. Cloud Hospital where he later died. The adult female who had called 9-1-1 sustained minor injuries from the assault.
The BCA will determine whether Taser cameras or squad dash cameras captured any audio or video of the incident. The BCA investigation into the incident is active and ongoing.
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