Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. 

Turn Up Your Support

The number of police officers charged with murder or manslaughter in on-duty shootings in the U.S. more than tripled in 2015, according to data compiled by a criminologist who researches police crimes, corruption and misconduct. 


In 2015, 18 officers were charged in fatal on-duty shootings, said 

 who teaches at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. From 2005-14, 

 for an average of fewer than five per year. 

Police data show many circumstances lead to deadly force


Stinson attributes the spike in part to the rise in video evidence from body cameras, dashboard cameras, surveillance videos and smartphones. 


Video evidence played a big role in many high-profile cases that resulted in charges, like that of 

 in South Carolina, who was killed after a traffic stop. A video of the shooting showed North Charleston police officer Michael Slager firing several times at Scott's back while he was running away. 


Slager has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial. 

What if someone hadn't filmed officer shooting?


Overall, charges remain a rarity in fatal shootings by police. Officers 

are legally justified in using deadly force

 if they have a reasonable fear for their lives or the lives of others.


Stinson said juries appear reluctant to second-guess officers who use deadly force in quickly escalating situations, and that prosecutors are also hesitant to bring charges in a case they 

 found that police fatally shot nearly 1,000 people across the nation that year. 


In Minnesota, at least 12 people were shot and killed by law enforcement in 2015. None of the officers involved have been charged. 


Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension officials say Columbia Heights Sgt. Erik Johnston and Fridley Officer Shawn Murphy were responding to a report of a person with a gun at a Columbia Heights business. The Department of Public Safety said the officers shot Kirvelay after he refused to show his hands.


Later, Kirvelay's family said they first 

 but now they're not sure he even had that.


Bill Kirvelay said his brother was paranoid and acting in an erratic way.


On Wednesday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced officers Mark Ringgenberg and Dustin Schwarze 

 Freeman said evidence showed Clark was not handcuffed and had reached for an officer's weapon during a struggle. 

 by police during a confrontation in north Minneapolis after officers reportedly tried to stop him from interfering with a paramedic crew treating his girlfriend outside a late-night birthday party.

The Jamar Clark case

 when he was shot sparked community protests and widened racial tensions between police and African-Americans. 


In February, the McLeod County Attorney's Office announced that no charges would be filed against McLeod County deputy Matthew Wyatt. 


The Hutchinson Police Department said officers from several agencies 

 to a report of a verbal disturbance at a residence in Hutchinson when a struggle ensued between Christensen and officers.

 and fired once, hitting Hutchinson officer Jacob Willers in the leg. Wyatt returned fire, striking Christensen. 


In February, the Kanabec County attorney announced no charges would be filed against Kanabec County deputy Shanna McIalwain.

 from a man threatening to kill someone. After McIalwain arrived, Christen attacked her, punching her in the head. 


Kanabec Sheriff Brian Smith said McIalwain did not fire her weapon right away.

"He continued to quickly advance on her, almost bull-rushed her," Smith said, "and ended up knocking her gun aside and began to beat her about her head and she felt she was gonna lose consciousness and going down and shot him, multiple times."

concluded officers Joe LaBathe and Rich McGuire were justified in using deadly force


Police said the St. Paul man was shot after running with a screwdriver toward an officer in a "very aggressive manner." 


Family members had described Quinn as mentally ill. 


Schneider, 31, was shot and killed by Itasca County deputy Steven Snyder after Schneider threatened deputies with a gun after they responded to an early morning disturbance call in Cohasset.


The Hennepin County Attorney's Office is currently reviewing the case. 

 by officer Amy Therkelsen at an Arby's restaurant in Plymouth when he tried to take the officer's gun from its holster.

 Lino Lakes Sgt. William Owens on potential murder charges in the shooting death of Holmes, 31, during a traffic stop. Owens had stopped Holmes for speeding. 


According to the preliminary investigation, when Owens tried to arrest Holmes for outstanding warrants and suspicion of driving under the influence, a struggle ensued. Holmes got back into his car and took off, dragging the officer. 


Before falling to the roadway, Owens fired his gun at the vehicle, which left the highway, went through a fence and stopped in a nearby Cub Foods parking lot. 

 involved in the shooting death of Tolkinen, 28, after a 45-minute standoff in east St. Paul. 


The Ramsey County panel concluded officers Mark Farrington, Brian Hall, Patrick Murphy and Jermaine Davis were justified in their use of deadly force. Tolkinen allegedly aimed an assault rifle at them. 


Tolkinen's father told police he'd been in treatment for mental illness several times. 


A grand jury returned a no-bill, or no indictment, in the incident. 

 after opening fire at New Hope City Hall and wounding two police officers after a swearing-in ceremony for new officers. 


He had a history of confronting government and the law, and also believed that police were harassing him. 

 of the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter and an Anoka mental hospital.


His son told KARE 11 that the family had grown increasingly alarmed about Kmetz's behavior.

 Bloomington officers Jeff Bailey, Mike Perron, Mike Smith and Anthony Kiehl and an internal investigation found no wrongdoing by the officers. 


Authorities said at the time that Reindl, 24, was 

 multiple times during a confrontation in January 2015. They'd been called on a report of a suicidal person at a home nearby.


Police said they found Reindl walking through the neighborhood carrying a gun, and that he'd refused orders by officers to drop the weapon.


In May 2015, a Washington County grand jury 

 St. Paul officers Jeremy Doverspike and Dan Peck in connection to the death of Golden. 


Police were called to a St. Paul apartment building on reports that Golden was making death threats. Police said Golden was in a truck in the building's parking lot and refused to get out of the vehicle. Police said Golden instead drove directly at the officers, who shot and killed him.


Police say a loaded handgun was later found within Golden's reach in the SUV.

Crime, Law and Justice

Jamar Clark police shooting

Nancy Yang

Author

In Minnesota, at least 12 people were shot and killed by law enforcement in 2015. So far, none of the officers involved have been charged.

David Joles | The Star Tribune

Javille Burns via AP

Frame grab of squad car dash camera video

Fatal shootings by police rarely result in charges

Go Deeper.

Like this?