A police officer from Olivia, Minnesota shot and killed a suspect on Sunday morning after the person supposedly approached them with a weapon in an alleyway. The shooting happened around 2:00a.m. and the race of the people involved has not been specified. Police said that there was an “altercation” but no other details surrounding the death of the person have been given.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating what occurred and the officer involved has been placed on administrative leave. A statement from city officials and police said that the Olivia police officer “was confronted by an armed individual in an alley. … An altercation took place between the officer and the individual which resulted in the officer discharging their firearm.” The identities of persons involved have not been released and local authorities have not stated if video footage of the incident existed.
This officer-involved shooting comes after the deaths of Winston Smith, Daunte Wright, and George Floyd, who all died after interactions with police officers in Minnesota. Smith was shot after failing to comply with the directions of law enforcement serving a warrant. He allegedly produced a firearm and shot at the officers who returned fire. No charges have been brought against the officers involved at this time.
George Floyd died while resisting arrest after trying to spend counterfeit money. The former Minneapolis police officer responsible, Derek Chauvin, was charged with murder and sentenced to 22.5 years in prison.
Daunte Wright was also shot after resisting arrest. The former Brooklyn Park police officer involved, Kim Potter, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter.
The deaths have led to nationwide calls for accountability and changes to policing. Riots did ensue in many major cities, including Minneapolis, and tensions are heightened with many calling to have conversations about police “brutality.”
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun | Star News Network and The College Fix. She graduated with a degree in Communications from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Police Tape” by Tony Webster. CC BY-SA 4.0.
