Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Authorities have confirmed the identity of the man shot and killed by police Wednesday following a string of incidents that included an apparent killing at a Maple Grove rest stop and shootout on Interstate 694 in Shoreview.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner identified the man shot by police as Johnathon Dean Mar, 18, of Kennewick, Wash., according to a statement from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The report said Mar died of blood loss due to multiple gunshot wounds.

Two dead, 'more questions than answers,' after chase

A Kennewick School District spokesperson said Minnesota law enforcement officers contacted the district yesterday to tell them Mar had been killed. Mar had been enrolled as a senior at Legacy High School and Tri-Tech Skills Center since last month, and previously had attended Southridge High School from August to November.

Maple Grove police responded to reports of shooting at about 1 a.m. Wednesday found an unidentified adult man dead at a Maple Grove rest stop. The man was identified Thursday as Matthew Paul Maffei, 23. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office said Maffei, who had no permanent address, died of a gunshot wound to the head. His death has been ruled a homicide.

Police said they saw a man now identified as Mar driving away from the rest stop in a red SUV with Oregon license plates. The driver later fled from police before crashing into a median on I-694. 

Law enforcement officials said Mar got out of the SUV brandishing a weapon and was shot and killed by police. 

The incident forced the closure of parts of I-694 for much of the morning rush hour and snarled traffic in the northern Twin Cities.    

The officers who shot at Mar were from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and the Brooklyn Center Police Department, Sheriff Rich Stanek said on Wednesday. The officers' names are expected to be released this week. 

The Maple Grove Police Department is investigating the apparent killing at the rest stop while the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the officer-involved shooting on the interstate.

Maple Grove police have asked that anyone with information about the rest stop shooting come forward.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Crime, Law and Justice

Minnesota News

Twin Cities News

Jon Collins

Author

Authorities have confirmed the identity of two men who died Wednesday in a string of incidents that included an apparent killing at a Maple Grove rest stop and a fatal police shooting.

18-year-old Washington man ID'd in I-694 police chase, shooting

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