ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the man involved in the use-of-force incident in Plymouth on Nov. 25 as Atanas Hristev, 44, of Champlin.

The BCA also identified the Plymouth police officer who used force during this incident:

• Officer Jacob Coopet discharged his firearm. He has 23 years of law enforcement experience. The Plymouth Police Department has placed him on critical incident leave.

According to the BCA’s preliminary investigation, shortly after 4:30 a.m. Nov. 25, Officer Coopet responded to a domestic disturbance involving an adult male who was knocking on a window of an apartment in the 6100 block of Quinwood Lane North.

Officer Coopet arrived and encountered the male, later identified as Atanas Hristev, in the parking lot. Hristev was armed with a handgun and pointed it at Coopet. Coopet fired at Hristev and struck him. Medical aid was provided to Hristev and he was taken to a local hospital where he remains in stable condition. 

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun and spent shell casings from the scene, along with video from Coopet’s squad car.

The Plymouth Police Department requested the BCA investigate this use-of-force incident. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review.