Rochester officer, under investigation, dead in apparent suicide

Olmsted County sheriff's officials are looking into the apparent suicide of a Rochester police officer who was under criminal investigation.

  Sheriff Kevin Torgerson said Rochester police officer Mitchell Jenson was found dead of a single gunshot wound to the head at a park pavilion in Rochester Wednesday morning.

  Torgerson said the police department is shocked by the news.

  "They're dealing with is as best they can," he said. "They're human. They're cops and people that are familiar with dealing with tragedy. And usually it's somebody else's tragedy, and this time it strikes really close to home."  

Jenson, 49, was placed on administrative leave Tuesday as the sheriff's office began a criminal investigation involving him. Torgerson declined to characterize the nature of any allegations against Jenson, but said the investigation will continue despite his death.  

Jenson had worked with the Rochester Police Department for five years.