Grand jury clears officer in fatal shooting

A grand jury has cleared an Apple Valley police officer who fatally shot a man last April.

The Dakota County grand jury concluded that Officer Tommie Booth was legally justified in using deadly force against 48-year-old Carl Tatum.

Booth and Officer Tara Becker were called to a domestic disturbance at an Apple Valley town house. A woman had called police to report that her live-in boyfriend had assaulted and choked her.

The officers were about to arrest Tatum when he ran inside the town house, pulled out a pistol from under a loveseat cushion, and raised it in Booth's direction.

Tatum fired twice at Booth, narrowly missing the officer. Booth fired nine shots at Tatum, with six bullets striking him.

Tatum died at a hospital that evening.

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