New details released Saturday by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension allege that the man killed in a New Auburn police shooting swung a knife at officers, striking one of them, before he was hit with Tasers and shot.
BCA identifies officers, shares details of New Auburn police shooting
Five officers were involved in the shooting, which left a 34-year-old New Auburn man dead. Three of the officers are now on administrative leave.
December 17, 2022 at 9:49PM
BCA spokeswoman Bonney Bowman said officers from the Hutchinson Police Department, Sibley County Sheriff's Office and McLeod County Sheriff's Office were involved in the shooting on Thursday, which began after a welfare check escalated. Those officers are:
- Officer Taylor Fenrich, who fired his duty pistol. Fenrich has 17 years of law enforcement experience.
- Officer Phillip Mielke, who fired his patrol rifle. Mielke has nine years of law enforcement experience.
- Officer Tyler Schmeling, who also fired his patrol rifle. Schmeling has eight years of law enforcement experience.
- Deputy Andrew Demeyer, who discharged his Taser. Demeyer has 16 years of law enforcement experience.
- Deputy David Olson, who also discharged his Taser. Olson has 17 years of law enforcement experience.
Only the three Hutchinson officers involved were placed on administrative leave.
According to the BCA's account:
Family members asked police to check on Brent A. Alsleben at around 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 14, citing concerns for his mental health. A Sibley County Sheriff's deputy and EMTs responded at Alsleben's apartment, but he reportedly displayed a knife and swung it at responders hours after they arrived.
Deputies unsuccessfully tried to coax Alsleben into leaving his apartment safely. After midnight, three Hutchinson police officers and two McLeod deputies forced open Alsleben's door and asked him to surrender.
According to the BCA, law enforcement did not go inside until realizing something seemed to be on fire in the apartment. They entered to find Alsleben on the floor with a large hunting knife. They tried to take him into custody, but he struggled and cut one of the officers.
Deputies used Tasers on him, the BCA said, but it didn't work. He began to stand up while holding the knife, which is when the three Hutchinson officers on the scene shot Alsleben. A medical examiner confirmed that Alsleben died of gunshot wounds.
The BCA recovered a knife at the scene, and they are waiting for the officers and deputies involved in the incident to submit statements.
Bowman said parts of the shooting were captured on body camera, which the agency will review as it investigates the case.
Court records show that police have tried to conduct welfare checks on Alsleben since late September. He had a history of mental health challenges, including bipolar disorder, and his psychiatrist recently told law enforcement that Alsleben must go to the emergency room if they make contact with him.
Since 2000, there have been 223 officer-involved deaths in Minnesota, according to a Star Tribune database.
Alsleben's family has declined to comment on the incident to the Star Tribune.
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