ST. CLOUD, Minnesota — Authorities say 18-year-old Sumaree Deashan Boose of St. Cloud has been charged with first-degree assault with use of a deadly force against a peace officer.
Police said social media rumors surrounding the incident led to two nights of unrest in St. Cloud, and nearly 40 arrests this week.
The officer who was shot in the hand has been identified as Ryan Priebe, who has been with the St. Cloud Police Department since 2006.
He was released from the hospital Monday, June 15, and is on standard paid administrative leave.
The criminal complaint states that late in the evening on Sunday, June 14, officers saw a public Facebook Live video showing Boose pointing to a possible handgun in his pocket. Police said Boose does not have a conceal and carry permit.
Shortly after midnight on Monday, June 15, two officers in separate squad cars saw Boose with several other men at a gas station located at 1000 9th Avenue South.
When one of the officers exited his squad car to issue "verbal commands," Boose and the others tried to flee the area on foot, according to the complaint.
The officer chased after Boose, following him to a yard about a block away, where a struggle ensued between he and the officer. Prosecutors say the officer attempted to take Boose into custody, but he did not comply.
The complaint states the officer deployed his taser and fired a cartridge at Boose, who continued to reject the officer's commands. The officer then fired a second cartridge, followed by a short struggle between the two, as the officer continued to issue commands. The entire exchange was captured on Taser Video, according to the complaint.
The complaint states BCA agents who reviewed the footage observed an apparent handgun in Boose's hand around the time the second taser cartridge was shot. Agents later heard the sound of a gunshot as the struggle continued, and the officer saying he'd been "hit." Other officers then moved in to handcuff Boose.
Boose and the officer were both taken to St. Cloud Hospital for medical aid.
BCA investigators said the officer suffered a gunshot would to the hand, while Boose had an injury to his chin.
The complaint states Boose later spoke to BCA agents, admitting to having a gun in his possession while he was chased by the officer, and acknowledged a single shot was fired from it. Boose denied intentionally shooting the officer, and claimed the officer may have unintentionally shot him in the chin and caused the bullet to go into the officer's hand. Investigators said the statements were "inconsistent with details in the taser video."
BCA investigators said review of the officers' handguns indicated they were not fired at the time of the incident.
St. Cloud police said several false rumors circulated on social media shortly after the incident, leading to unrest that resulted in property damage and several arrests.
