Suspect wielding knives fatally shot by Fairmont police

Officers responded to a call about a woman being threatened at an apartment building about 2:20 a.m., police said.

January 20, 2018 at 10:13PM

A police officer shot and killed a 23-year-old man who confronted two officers with knives early Saturday in Fairmont, Minn., authorities said.

Officers responded to a call about a woman being threatened at an apartment building in the 1200 block of Victoria Street at 2:20 a.m., said Police Chief Michael Hunter. There they found a man who confronted them while wielding two knives, Hunter said. One officer opened fire on the man, who died at the scene.

One officer was treated for minor injuries at the Fairmont hospital, Hunter said. Both officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave, standard procedure in officer-involved shootings.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will conduct an investigation of the shooting and release the names of the officers after initial interviews with them. The Ramsey County medical examiner will conduct an autopsy and release the name of the man who was killed.

Fairmont, a town of about 10,000, is the county seat of Martin County, in south-central Minnesota.

Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648

about the writer

about the writer

Liz Sawyer

Reporter

Liz Sawyer  covers Minneapolis crime and policing at the Star Tribune. Since joining the newspaper in 2014, she has reported extensively on Minnesota law enforcement, state prisons and the youth justice system. 

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