Authorities: Suspect who shot at Coon Rapids police after traffic stop is killed by officers

A suspect who pulled a gun during a routine traffic stop and exchanged gunfire with Coon Rapids police was shot and killed by law enforcement officers during an ensuing manhunt early Thursday.

The suspect pulled a gun after he was stopped about 1:30 a.m. for a routine traffic violation on Foley Boulevard and then fled the scene on foot, said Coon Rapids Police Chief Brad Wise.

The suspect exchanged gunfire with Coon Rapids police as he fled, but was not injured then.

"I have one with a gun running southbound," an officer is heard saying over audio dispatch. "Shots fired! Shots fired!"

After a half-hour manhunt, officers found the man hiding in a nearby neighborhood, and gunfire was again exchanged.

It was not immediately clear who fired first, but officers from the Coon Rapids Police Department and the Anoka County Sheriff's Office "were forced to engage with deadly force," Sheriff James Stuart said during an 8 a.m. news conference.

One officer from Coon Rapids and a deputy from the Sheriff's Office fired their weapons during the incident, authorities said.

The suspect, whose name has not been released, died at the scene. No officer was struck or injured, Stuart said.

"Initial information indicates the suspect posed an immediate threat to law enforcement officers and they were forced to engage the suspect with deadly force in order to stop that threat," Stuart said. "While this is not the outcome we would want, we expect our law enforcement officers to protect the public and themselves. Sadly, the suspect chose actions that dictated those actions."

Stuart said that a passenger who was with the suspect will be interviewed as part of the investigation being conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

BCA personnel recovered a handgun at the scene, according to a statement released by the agency. Dash cameras, body cameras and a law-enforcement drone were in use. BCA investigators are now determining how much of the incident was captured.

William Foy Jr., who has lived in the area for 60 years, said the neighborhood is generally quiet.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said.

tim.harlow@startribune.com

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