Carjacking suspect shot to death after interstate chase
A suspect was shot and killed after an armed carjacking in Minneapolis turned into a chase that ended on Interstate 35E north of the Twin Cities. Authorities are not disclosing details of who fired the shots.
The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the incident. Three State Patrol troopers, two Brooklyn Park police officers and one Minneapolis police officer are on paid administrative leave during the investigation.
BCA Acting Superintendent Dave Bjerga said the suspect was involved in the armed carjacking of a cab in or near the Lowry Hill Tunnel on Interstate 94 shortly after 5 a.m.
The suspect then led officers on a chase that ended on northbound I-35E near the 35W/35E split. Authorities used spike strips to stop the car.
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When they approached the car, the suspect had a handgun, Bjerga said. Authorities say the suspect died at the scene.
The driver of the cab, who worked for Red and White Taxi, was not injured. Pat White, general manager of Red and White Taxi, said the driver picked the suspect up at a commercial intersection in south Minneapolis.
White said about five minutes later the driver realized the destination address didn't make sense.
"For the street address he gave the numbers didn't match what numbers were on the street. [He] got suspicious, asked him about it, the guy pulled a gun out, told him to get out of the car, he got out of the car, and the guy took the car," White said.
The suspect's name was being withheld pending an autopsy by the Anoka County Medical Examiner.
Bjerga declined to release details about the incident, citing the ongoing investigation. He said it was fortunate no one else was hurt in the incident.
"The public is very fortunate that these officers are skilled at what they do when these pursuits occur," Bjerga said at a news conference. "We're confident in the way that they handled this situation."
Northbound I-35E opened early Thursday afternoon after being closed throughout the morning.
(MPR reporter Rupa Shenoy contributed to this report.)