Minn. police reject claim fleeing man was shot
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The Hennepin County medical examiner is backing up police officials who say officers did not shoot Jason Yang before he died.
Medical examiner Dr. Andrew baker today said Yang died from blunt force injuries as a result of a 40-foot fall.
Police maintain the 29-year-old West St. Paul man died Nov. 13 when he ran down an Interstate 394 off-ramp, jumped a fence and fell several stories.
An advocate working with Yang's family alleged she saw a bullet hole in Yang's body. Baker said his autopsy found no bullet hole but did identify a puncture made by a broken collar bone piercing the flesh.
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"There were no patterned injuries on the body,. there was no evidence that firearms were involved, there's no evidence that a conductive energy device was employed. Again, none of the significant injuries that Mr. Yang had would be inconsistent with his fall," he said.
Baker says Yang did not have illegal drugs in his system, but his blood alcohol level was more than 0.20, more than twice the legal limit for driving.
A statement from Chief Tim Dolan called people advising the Yang family "self-serving charlatans" who he says have made false accusations. No family members or their attorneys returned calls seeking comment.
Yang's body was taken today by his widow and family representatives to a funeral home.
