Across the country, more and more stories seem to be emerging about the inappropriate use of force by police officers. In Minnesota, residents see, hear and read such reports and it is understandable that they may be concerned about this. Certainly officers can face challenging situations but all citizens still do deserve to be treated fairly even in the face of tough moments.
In Mankato, one officer is now accused of potentially using undue force for the shooting death of a man on New Year's Eve. The incident marks the fourth fatal shooting by a Mankato police officer since 2007 and the most recent other one was in 2013. Reports indicate that a hotel called for police help when a man was behaving erratically behind the check-in desk. An officer used his stun gun to get control of the man but the man is said to have assaulted the officer. The officer shot the man during this alleged assault.
The man who died was a 33-year-old teacher. The officer has been with the department for 31 years and is currently on paid leave. He will be allowed to work a desk job while the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension completes an investigation of the incident. The officer in question is said to be an instructor training other officers on the appropriate use of force while on the job.
Citizens who believe their rights may have been violated by a police officer might want to talk with an attorney. Every defendant should feel safe in having his or her rights upheld.
Source: Mankato Free Press, "Veteran Mankato police officer had never been involved in a shooting," Kristine Goodrich, Jan. 4, 2017