BENTON COUNTY, Minn. — After five members of a Sherburne County Drug Task Force team were shot and wounded while serving a warrant in neighboring Benton County early Thursday morning, one of the first calls that went out was to summon agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
In Thursday's critical incident, law enforcement discharged their weapons when a gunfight erupted and a 64-year-old suspect was struck and wounded, along with the five officers. That triggered a response by the BCA's Force Investigations Unit, which regularly conducts independent, thorough investigations when police officers use deadly force.
Here's what happens and a time frame that's followed in most cases.
Use of deadly force incident occurs
Agents from the FIU team and BCA crime scene personnel respond to the incident scene and gather evidence, take photos, and interview witnesses. When it is available body cam video from officers and their squads is reviewed and downloaded.
Initial investigation - Week 1
Agents interview the officers involved in the incident or collect official statements from them. If the use of force incident was fatal autopsies are conducted and the person killed is identified. The identities of the officers are publicly released unless there are special circumstances, like the fact the officers involved in Thursday's shooting incident work undercover.
Investigation proceeds towards completion - Approximately two months
Video from the use of force incident is thoroughly reviewed, including video from bodycams, squad vehicles and surveillance systems. Follow-up interviews are conducted, forensic evidence is processed in the BCA lab and agents gather relevant records involving the officers, including training and discipline files.
Investigation concludes
FIU agents present their findings to the county attorney's office where the incident occurred. The county attorney then reviews the investigation and determines whether the officer's use of force was justified, or if criminal charges should be filed.
For more information on the BCA Forde Investigations Unit and the process, check out the agency's website.
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