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Police officers involved in Maple Grove shooting are identified

The man who was shot and wounded was injuring himself with a knife, then came at officers with it, the BCA said.

By David Chanen

February 9, 2018 at 11:22PM

A police officer shot a person with a knife in a house Wednesday afternoon in Maple Grove during a confrontation, leaving the individual severely wounded, authorities said. (Vince Tuss — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Authorities have released the names of the three Maple Grove police officers who shot and wounded a man Wednesday.

DeWayne Burlingham, 50, of Maple Grove, was injuring himself with a knife when the officers arrived at his home in the 9600 block of Trenton Lane N., according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is investigating the shooting. Burlingham is recovering from gunshot and self-inflicted wounds at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale.

The officers involved were:

• Jeff Albers, a 20-year member of the Maple Grove department, who shot Burlingham.

• David Anton, a 27-year member of the department, who discharged Albers' and his own Tasers.

• Darren Struckmann, a 10-year member of the department, who discharged his Taser.

Albers and Anton went to Burlingham's home shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday following a 911 hang-up call and repeated unsuccessful attempts by law enforcement to call Burlingham back and speak with him by phone, according the BCA.

Shortly after officers were admitted into the home, Burlingham began injuring himself with a knife and shouting, "Shoot me!" at the officers, the BCA said. Anton fired his and Albers' Tasers, but they were ineffective, and Burlingham then came toward the officers with the knife.

Albers discharged his firearm, hitting Burlingham, who got back on his feet and again begin stabbing himself with the knife, the BCA said. The officers tried to persuade him to put down the knife, but Burlingham didn't follow officers repeated commands.

Additional officers then arrived from the Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park and Osseo police departments and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Struckmann fired his Taser at Burlingham, who then fell backward, and the knife came out of his hand. Officers then handcuffed him.

A Taser camera captured portions of the incident, but not the shooting itself. No officers were wearing body cameras, and there is no dash camera video of the incident, authorities said.

When its investigation is complete, the BCA will turn its findings over to the Hennepin County attorney's office for review.

David Chanen • 612-673-4465

about the writer

David Chanen

Reporter

David Chanen is a reporter covering Hennepin County government and Prince's estate dealings. He previously covered crime, courts and spent two sessions at the Legislature.