Minneapolis police kill man wielding knife

Minneapolis police shot and killed a man early Saturday morning after the man approached them with a knife.

Four patrol officers responded to a 911 call at an apartment in the 3000 block of 19th Avenue South at about 2:15 Saturday morning, according to police spokesman Sgt. William Palmer.

"A female caller did indicate that a male with a history of abusing her was present in the residence. And as the officers were responding to the call, one of the 911 operators heard over the phone someone saying, 'put down the knife.' Two of our officers forced their way in and were immediately confronted by a male armed with a knife. The male approached the officers with the knife and would not put it down."

Palmer said the officers then fatally shot the man.

"Unfortunately they were put in a position where they had to defend themselves," he said. "It's never the outcome we want, but at least the victim of the assault and neither of the officers were injured."

Both officers have been placed on standard three-day administrative leave as the Minneapolis Police Department Homicide and Internal Affairs Units investigate the shooting. The names of the police officers involved will be released on Monday. The man who was killed has not yet been identified.