Police shoot suspect in Prior Lake killing after chase, confrontation
Updated: 10:45 a.m. | Posted: 7:46 a.m.
Three suspects were in custody Wednesday following an early morning homicide in Prior Lake that led to a car chase and highway confrontation with police in Edina that ended when officers shot one of the suspects.
Authorities say the mayhem began at about 2 a.m. when Prior Lake police responded to a call in the 2100 block of Sioux Trail NW of an unresponsive male and found an adult man bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds and a car driving away as they responded.
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Officers pursued the car out of Prior Lake and into Edina. At about 2:45 a.m., the vehicle was disabled near U.S. Highway 169 and Bren Road. Two suspects were immediately captured while the third fled, Hennepin Count Sheriff Rich Stanek told reporters.
Two responding Eden Prairie officers chased the suspect, who fired at them, Stanek said. The officers returned fire and hit him.
None of the officers involved were injured. Stanek said the suspect who was shot was being treated at an area hospital but wouldn't say if he was expected to survive.
Prior Lake Chief Mark Elliott said that the homicide that started the chase was not a random attack and there were witnesses in the house.
"We do believe that there was a motive behind it and this person was targeted by the suspects," he said.
The alleged gunman is believed to be one of the three captured suspects, he added.
"The could have been much worse for all involved, especially responding law enforcement officers," said Stanek.
The Eden Prairie officers' names were not yet disclosed. Eden Prairie Police Chief James DeMann said one is an eight-year veteran of the force and the other has served for five years.
"They're doing as well as can be expected," he said.
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the officer involved shooting.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Officer are helping Prior Lake police in the homicide investigation.