ST. PAUL—The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the man who officers shot during a use-of-force incident on Friday, Sept. 30 in North Branch. Erik Hammer, 31, is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. He is expected to recover.
The BCA has also identified the North Branch police officers and Chisago County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who discharged their weapons during the incident. After the shooting, the North Branch police officers and Chisago County Sheriff’s sergeant were placed on standard administrative leave.
• Officer Tyler Lawson fired his patrol rifle. He has almost four-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
• Officer Kyle Lund fired his patrol rifle. He has three-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
• Chisago County Sgt. James Mott fired less-than-lethal rounds. He has 15 years of law enforcement experience.
Officers from the North Branch Police Department and deputies from the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 6600 block of Oak Ridge Court just before 10 p.m. Friday night on reports of a suicidal man. When they arrived, they encountered Hammer in the driveway of a home armed with a sword. The responding officers stayed in the road and ordered him to drop the sword several times. Hammer refused and started walking down the driveway toward the officers with the sword in his hand. Sgt. Mott fired less-than-lethal rounds, striking Hammer. Officers Lawson and Lund fired their patrol rifles, also striking Hammer. Officers performed life-saving care until an ambulance arrived. Hammer remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.
BCA crime scene personnel recovered a sword at the scene. The incident was captured on body-worn cameras. BCA agents are reviewing that footage to determine the exact timing of when each responding officer fired at Hammer.
The North Branch Police Department asked the BCA to investigate the incident. Due to a conflict of interest, the Chisago County Attorney’s Office has referred the use-of-force case to the Isanti County Attorney. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Isanti County Attorney’s Office for review.
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Man with Sword and Officers Identified Following Shooting
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ST. PAUL—The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the man who officers shot during a use-of-force incident on Friday, Sept. 30 in North Branch. Erik Hammer, 31, is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. He is expected to recover.
The BCA has also identified the North Branch police officers and Chisago County Sheriff’s Office sergeant who discharged their weapons during the incident. After the shooting, the North Branch police officers and Chisago County Sheriff’s sergeant were placed on standard administrative leave.
• Officer Tyler Lawson fired his patrol rifle. He has almost four-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
• Officer Kyle Lund fired his patrol rifle. He has three-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
• Chisago County Sgt. James Mott fired less-than-lethal rounds. He has 15 years of law enforcement experience.
Officers from the North Branch Police Department and deputies from the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 6600 block of Oak Ridge Court just before 10 p.m. Friday night on reports of a suicidal man. When they arrived, they encountered Hammer in the driveway of a home armed with a sword. The responding officers stayed in the road and ordered him to drop the sword several times. Hammer refused and started walking down the driveway toward the officers with the sword in his hand. Sgt. Mott fired less-than-lethal rounds, striking Hammer. Officers Lawson and Lund fired their patrol rifles, also striking Hammer. Officers performed life-saving care until an ambulance arrived. Hammer remains hospitalized but is expected to survive.
BCA crime scene personnel recovered a sword at the scene. The incident was captured on body-worn cameras. BCA agents are reviewing that footage to determine the exact timing of when each responding officer fired at Hammer.
The North Branch Police Department asked the BCA to investigate the incident. Due to a conflict of interest, the Chisago County Attorney’s Office has referred the use-of-force case to the Isanti County Attorney. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Isanti County Attorney’s Office for review.
