Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Suspect killed after stabbing two police officers
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An apparent robbery suspect was shot and killed by two Minneapolis police officers Monday morning, after he stabbed the two officers. He died at the scene, and his body was removed by authorities. (MPR Photo/Brandt Williams)
Two Minneapolis police officers were allegedly stabbed by a man before they shot and killed him near a busy intersection in South Minneapolis on Monday morning. Police officials say the officers were injured as they wrestled with the man, who they believe was a suspect in robbery. The man has not been identified, but is described as a white man about 30 years old. Police officials say they are confident that the investigation will show the officers were justified in taking lethal action.

Minneapolis, Minn. — It's two hours after the stabbing and shooting occurred, and police investigators are still on the scene. Their main focus is on a spot in the westbound lane of Franklin Avenue halfway between Lyndale and Aldrich avenues. They are crowding around the dead body of the robbery suspect. The body is still at the scene - uncovered, on its back, arms outstretched.

Two officers have been taken to Hennepin County Medical Center with injuries that are not life-threatening. The street, fenced off by yellow crime scene tape, is spotted with dozens of little yellow markers in the street. A few onlookers are standing just outside the yellow crime scene tape.

"I'm glad the officers are going to be OK, from what I hear," says Hosmer Brown, who owns the building on the southwest corner of Lyndale and Franklin. It contains the Theater Garage. He says he heard about the stabbing and shooting just after it happened. Brown says he came down to see if he could help.

Police officials say officers Charles Herzog and Jason Walters responded to a 911 call about a man suspected of trying to rob the Money Store at 2006 Lyndale at 8:18 a.m.

Shortly after arriving, the officers spotted the man outside the store. They chased the man around the corner onto Franklin; in the struggle to subdue the man he pulled out a knife and started stabbing the officers in the legs.

Assistant Chief of Police Tim Dolan says everything happened quickly. Dolan says though wounded, the officers fired on the suspect. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

There are two investigations in progress over this incident. One is for the robbery at the Money Store. The other is a routine internal affairs investigation over the shooting. Dolan declined to disclose certain details about the case because of the investigations. He wouldn't say how many shots were fired or how many times the officers were stabbed. Nor would he say much about the robbery.

Dolan didn't go into much detail about the injuries to officers Walters and Herzog. But he did say they lost a lot of blood and will require some surgery.

"I talked to both officers in the hospital. They were in a fairly good mood, considering the fact that they had all their uniforms and equipment cut off of their persons. They were more concerned about how their fellow officers -- each other -- were doing," he says.

Walters has been released from Hennepin County Medical Center and Herzog has been listed in satisfactory condition, but remains in the hospital. Both men are veteran officers stationed at the Fifth Precinct. Three years ago on the same day, one of their fellow officers, Melissa Schmidt, was shot and killed on duty.

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