Officials on Wednesday identified the man fatally shot Saturday after he fired at officers responding to a domestic dispute call in the small west-central Minnesota city of Cyrus.
Suspect who allegedly killed deputy in Pope County domestic dispute case identified
Deputy Joshua Owen was shot three times and later died at a hospital. Bryan Nygard, 34, died at the scene after officials said he opened fire.
April 19, 2023 at 9:24PM
The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as 34-year-old Bryan Nygard of Cyrus, who died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) on Wednesday also released the names of two of the three officers involved in the use-of-force incident: Pope County Deputy Brody Merrill and Starbuck police officer Alex Olson. Officials previously released the name of Deputy Joshua Owen, who was shot three times and died at a hospital.
The officers answered a domestic call at an apartment building around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
After talking with Nygard and a woman in the apartment, the officers told Nygard he was under arrest. Nygard, who had been sitting at a table, "stood up, drew a firearm and began firing," according to a news release issued Wednesday by the BCA.
Owen and Merrill returned fire. Olson, who was in the hallway, did not fire his weapon. Merrill was shot once in the vest in his upper chest area and Olson was struck in the ankle, according to the BCA. The woman who was at the apartment left before the gunfire began and was not injured.
Investigators recovered a pistol, bullets and cartridge casings at the scene. All three officers were wearing body cameras, and the footage will be redacted and released to the public once the case is closed, the BCA said.
The Pope County Sheriff's Office requested the BCA investigate the incident, after which the BCA will present its findings to the Morrison County Attorney's Office for review.
Merrill is on standard administrative leave following the shooting, according to the BCA.
Records show Owen was killed on his 44th birthday. A military veteran, he leaves behind a wife and son. He had been with the Sheriff's Office for 12 years and had 14 years of law enforcement experience.
A public memorial service for Owen is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Minnewaska Area High School in Glenwood, Minn. Visitations will be 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
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