A St. Paul police officer and a suspect were injured in a shooting incident that took place on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred near the intersection of Cretin and Marshall avenues around 2 p.m., according to a tweet from the St. Paul Police Department. The department, however, did not provide further details about the incident or the conditions of the officer and suspect. They assured the public that there is no ongoing threat.
Sgt. Mike Ernster, the department spokesman, stated that additional information would be shared during a news conference scheduled for Thursday night. Helicopter footage from KMSP-TV showed several squad cars at the scene, as well as a gray van with its driver door open near a gas station.
As a result of the police activity, Metro Transit detoured two bus routes in the area. The University of St. Thomas, located nearby, advised students and staff to avoid the area but confirmed that classes were not affected.
The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCA) will lead the investigation, which is common in officer-involved shootings. BCA spokeswoman Bonney Bowman confirmed that the agency’s Force Investigations Unit responded to the scene. However, further information will only be available once the preliminary investigation is complete. According to the bureau’s fact sheet, the goal is to finalize the investigation within 60 days and then forward the results to the county prosecutor for a charging decision.
The investigation process includes interviews with the officers involved, autopsies if the incident is fatal, reviews of body camera, squad camera, and surveillance video footage, processing of forensic evidence, and gathering of officer and departmental policy records.
This incident serves as a reminder of the risks faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty. Authorities are working diligently to gather all the necessary information to determine the circumstances surrounding this shooting incident.
