Ramsey County attorney has case of St. Paul man killed by police

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Wednesday turned over its findings in the officer-involved shooting death of William J. Hughes to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office for review for possible criminal charges.

Hughes, 43, was killed by St. Paul police on Aug. 5 in the porch of a multiunit rental home in the 900 block of St. Anthony Avenue at 2:30 a.m.

Officers Matthew Jones and Vincent Adams, who have returned to duty, responded to the scene for a 911 call reporting gunshots on the second floor where Hughes lived.

County attorney spokesman Dennis Gerhardstein said the office has been reviewing evidence throughout the BCA's investigation.

"We are committed to being thorough and diligent in our review and hope to have a decision made in the coming weeks," Gerhardstein said.

According to police bodycam footage released several days after the shooting: the officers entered the porch, knocked on a door and heard a man's voice threaten to kill them.

Hughes exited out the door. The officers ordered him to put his hands up. Hughes raised his right hand in the air as it gripped a handgun, prompting the officers to fire at him while the barrel of the gun was pointed at the ceiling.

Search warrant affidavits filed in the case showed that the day he was killed, Hughes reportedly fell out of his "elevated bed," grew angry, fired two gunshots in the apartment and pointed the gun at his roommate's head.

Court documents also showed that he had reportedly contemplated suicide. Relatives explained that Hughes "had an ongoing medical condition that limited his quality of life. [Hughes'] medical condition was diagnosed as a terminal illness," the affidavits said.