​ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the people involved in a police use-of-force incident June 21 in St. Joseph. Jason Patrick Cully, 38, of St. Joseph was shot once when members of the Stearns/Benton County SWAT Team served a warrant for his arrest. The BCA is actively investigating this incident.

• Stearns County Deputy Tyler Thunstedt fired his department rifle. He has eight years of law enforcement experience and is on standard administrative leave.

According to the initial investigation, St. Joseph police officers responded June 20 to reports of Cully making threats of violence. When they made contact, Cully pointed a gun at them and then ran away. Officers could not find him. Cully repeatedly called the police department that night and continued to make threats of violence. The Stearns County Attorney’s Office issued a warrant for his arrest.

On June 21 at about 5 p.m., members of the Stearns/Benton County SWAT Team attempted to serve that warrant at Cully’s home. Thunstedt saw Cully run across the yard toward a neighbor’s house. Cully ignored commands to stop and drop his weapon. When he pointed his gun in the deputy’s direction, Thunstedt fired three rounds, one of which struck Cully. He received medical care on-scene before being transported to the hospital where he remains in stable condition. No one else was injured.

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun at the scene. Thunstedt and the other deputies who responded were wearing their body cameras. BCA agents are reviewing all available video as part of the ongoing investigation. 

The Stearns County Sheriff's Office asked the BCA to investigate this incident. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without a charging recommendation to the Stearns County Attorney's Office for review.​​