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 St. Paul on Dec. 21 as Elliot Vaughn, 32, of Minneapolis.

The BCA also identified the St. Paul officers who used force during this incident. The St. Paul Police Department has placed them on critical incident leave.  

• Officer Matthew Foy discharged his firearm. He has 11 years of law enforcement experience.
• Officer Byron Treangen III discharged his firearm. He has six years of law enforcement experience.  

According to the BCA’s preliminary investigation, St. Paul police officers responded to an auto theft call around 3 p.m. on Dec 21 after General Motors reported a stolen Buick Envista being driven in St. Paul. General Motors was electronically tracking the vehicle and had the ability to disable it.

Officers located the vehicle and followed it as it entered westbound Interstate 94 from Highway 52. General Motors then disabled the vehicle. The male driver, later identified as Vaughn, and his female passenger exited the vehicle and ran in different directions. Vaughn ran westbound up the ramp, produced a handgun from his waistband while running, turned and pointed it at Officers Foy and Treangen, who were trailing him in their St. Paul Police marked squad car. Both officers fired at Vaughn, striking him in the leg. Officers provided medical aid to Vaughn before he was transported to a local hospital. No one else was injured.     

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun on scene as well as video from cameras in squad cars and others worn by the officers.  

The St. Paul 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 Ramsey County Attorney’s Office for review.