Authorities on Monday afternoon are expected to release details about a domestic assault case that ended with a Rochester police officer killing an armed suspect.
The incident began Sunday night in Fillmore County in southeastern Minnesota when police were called about a domestic assault. By the time they arrived, the man had left the scene, but law enforcement found him at his home on Dogwood Road about 9 miles southeast of Lanesboro, said Fillmore County Sheriff Tom Kaase.
As Sunday turned into Monday morning, authorities said the suspect became uncooperative and they called in the Rochester/Olmsted Emergency Response Unit. The unit, which operates like a SWAT team, was called to the scene because of the suspect's previous criminal history. It was also believed the man had access to weapons, Kaase said.
When police confronted the suspect, a Rochester Police Tactical Officer fatally shot the suspect, who was armed, Kaase said.
The officer, identified as Sgt. Steve Thompson, had been a member of the Rochester Police Department for 19 years and part of the department's emergency response unit since 2007. He is on paid leave pending the investigation, said Captain John Sherwin.
This is the first time Thompson has been involved in any kind of incident involving a shooting, Sherwin said.
"He has a stellar track record with our agency with a number of awards and commendations and four live-saving awards," he said. "This is a tragedy for all involved. We try to have a peaceful resolution to these situations. Unfortunately this one did not."
Members of the Emergency Response Unit undergo nearly 200 hours of training a year, Sherwin said.
Sherwin said neither he nor Chief Roger Peterson can remember an incident in which a Rochester officer had been involved in a fatal shooting.
Following normal procedures, the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office has requested the Minnesota Bureau of Apprehension (BCA) conduct the investigation.
Tim Harlow • 612-673-7768
