Posted on 01/14/2015 10:37:58 AM PST by ButThreeLeftsDo
St. Paul police are investigating an officer-involved shooting early Wednesday morning that killed a man suspected of sending threatening messages.
Officers responded to the 200 block of University Avenue East about 2:14 a.m. after a woman reported getting death threats via text message. The woman told police the messages were from a man she knew and that he was known to carry a gun.
Sgt. Paul Paulos says after officers arrived and located the suspect, shots were fired and the suspect was hit. Paulos did not give further details on how the shooting occurred.
St. Paul Fire Department medics were called to the scene and the suspect was pronounced dead, Paulos said. Police have not released his name.
No officers were injured in the incident.
Investigators are working to determine what led up to the shooting.
The officers involved are a seven-year veteran and an officer who has been with the department for almost two years, Paulos said. Their identities are not being released at this time. They will be placed on three-day paid administrative leave, which is department policy.
The St. Paul Chapter of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People plans at 1 p.m. press conference Wednesday to discuss the matter.
"Anytime there is a death at the hands of a police officer involving an African American citizen, people get very concerned," said Yusef Mgemi, vice president of the NAACP.
Mgemi said police have not found a gun. Mgemi said the organization wants to make sure accurate information gets out.
You got that right!
Then it's possible the man was shot because the police were *afraid* that he had a gun - in which case this may have been an assassination-by-cop or a version of 'swatting'.
And given that all it takes for a police shooting to be justifiable is for the officers to say they were in fear for their lives then telling the police that someone is armed is a good way to get that person killed.
How does he know? According to the article the police dept. hasn't commented on that issue one way or the other.
It’s all about getting out in front of the story...
You’re right, it looks like a “swatting” or a murder by cop.
Sounds like it might me.
Story was updated 25 minutes ago. Cops found a gun.
Where?
Haven’t said yet. Ongoing, and all... Just saying they found one in an attempt to diffuse the situation.
NAACP wants the investigation done by someone outside of Minnesota.
Pushy bunch.
Does this sound like a trap to lure police to a place and then kill them?
It will be interesting to see how this all comes out.
Yep. Lots of possible scenarios, here.
Glad it’s really cold here. Cuts down on the “hands up” crowd.
Thanks - I couldn’t find anything about them finding the gun. Hate to jump to conclusions but it is worrisome when such stories jump out there w/o sufficient info to allow for the truth to peek out.
Story has been updated several times. Just go back to the original link for the latest.
Well we're probably not going to get it from the NAACP.
Oh, I’m sure he had his hands up and was probably blindfolded screaming “Don’t Shoot”.
That is why they use NAACP...
As the story continues to unfold, he was shot while aiming his vehicle at police. The cops found a gun, but cannot be sure if it’s his or not.
This should be good...
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