NAYTAHWAUSH, Minn — Officials released dashcam video showing a sheriff's deputy in Mahnomen County shooting and wounding an armed woman back in March.
The woman, later identified as Shequoya Basswood, survived and has been charged with multiple crimes, including first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault. But Sheriff Josh Guenther said he released the video due to concerns for the deputy's safety.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said Mahnomen County Sheriff's deputy Dakota Czerny was performing a traffic stop along Highway 200, when a vehicle containing Basswood and five other people sped off, before later crashing into a ditch.
The video begins after the vehicle Basswood was in crashed, following being involved in a police pursuit. Officials say other people that were in the vehicle had fled, and Czerny told Basswood and another woman to put their hands on the vehicle. Czerny is seen handcuffing the other woman, when he suddenly backs up.
Czerny is heard saying "drop the gun" before shots are fired.
In a statement on the Mahnomen County Sheriff's Office's Facebook page, the Sheriff says Czerny "saw a gun in Basswood's possession and began to retreat away from her, drawing his firearm, and ordering her to drop the gun."
After he ordered her to drop the gun, the sheriff says "Basswood then turned toward Deputy Czerny, cycled the action on the firearm and pointed it at him." Czerny then fires his weapon. The Minnesota BCA, which is continuing to review the case, said a firearm was found at the scene.
Officials say Czerny provided medical aid before Basswood was taken to an area hospital. Czerny has been placed on standard administrative leave, according to the BCA.
At the time, Basswood had an open arrest warrant for felony assault charges. She has since been charged with use of deadly force against a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm and attempted murder, all stemming from the incident in which she was shot.
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