Neighbors React To Officer-Involved Shooting

DULUTH – On Monday, Aug. 11, Duluth police were called to a residence around 4 a.m. in the 3200 block of Piedmont Avenue on a domestic disturbance.While enroute to the call, officers were advised that the female resident's 34-year-old husband had cut himself with a knife and was bleeding.  Additionally, the husband had popped her air mattress. Officers arrived and were speaking with the female resident when her husband ran past them into the basement.  Officers could see when he ran by that he had an unknown object in his hand, according to officials. Several officers arrived on scene, went downstairs and found the man had locked himself in a room. Blood was visible on the floor, underneath the door. Officers heard the subject say he wanted to die and he had a half hour left before he bled out, according to police. Officers requested the subject come out numerous times, he refused.Officers eventually forced open the door and the canine was deployed. Officers ordered the subject to drop the knife, the subject didn't comply and one officer fired his weapon striking the subject at about 4:14 AM. No one else was injured.  Officers immediately rendered first aid. The subject was transported to Essentia St. Mary's Hospital for his injuries. He is currently in critical, but stable condition. The officer who fired his duty weapon is a seven-year veteran of the Duluth Police Department. He is on paid administrative, leave which is standard procedure in these cases. The Duluth Police Department requested the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to investigate the incident. Monday afternoon, investigators with the BCA filed in and out of the home. An officer on the scene said in a case like this it's typical for investigators like the BCA to take over to make sure there is no foul-play. Neighbor Bill Lee lives down the block from the home where the incident happened, and says the victim was a nice guy but knew the couple was having issues. Multiple neighbors report two children also lived in the home, but no word on if they were home at the time. "It's just so bad when you've got two young children involved,” Lee said. “No matter what that's going to be a problem - haunt them all the rest of their life and stuff, so I hope that they settle it and I hope he's well." Updates will be available as the investigation progresses.