A 38-year-old man was holding knives when he emerged from a home this week in Chisholm, Minn., and was fatally shot by law enforcement, officials said Friday.
BCA: Man was holding knives when he was fatally shot by law enforcement in Chisholm
"Officers fired less lethal rounds first, then lethal rounds, striking Johnson," a BCA statement read.
April 22, 2022 at 10:57PM
The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) identified the man as Michael D. Johnson, of Chisholm. The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office said Johnson had been shot multiple times.
Johnson was being sought Wednesday by law enforcement on unspecified felony allegations out of Morrison County, the BCA said.
According to the agency:
About 7:15 a.m. on the day of the shooting, a St. Louis County sheriff's deputy located Johnson's car outside his home in the 200 block of S. Central Avenue.
About 30 minutes later, law enforcement from several departments responded and attempted to arrest him.
"At one point, Johnson came out of the house with knives in his hands," a statement from the BCA read. "Officers fired less lethal rounds first, then lethal rounds, striking Johnson."
Johnson died at the scene, the BCA said. No law enforcement officers were hurt.
BCA crime scene personnel recovered two knives near Johnson's body. The incident was captured on officers' body-worn cameras and squad video recorders.
Sheriff's deputy Cody Dillinger fired his handgun. Dillinger has been with the Sheriff's Office for five years.
Virginia police officer Nick Grivna also fired his department handgun. Grivna has been with the department for eight years.
Deputy Gavin Nichols fired non-lethal rounds. Nichols has been with the Sheriff's Office for six years.
Once the BCA investigation is complete, the agency will present its findings without recommendation to the St. Louis County Attorney's Office for review to determine whether law enforcement's actions were justified.
In May 2017, Johnson and law enforcement engaged in a brief standoff at his home in Hibbing, where he stabbed his estranged wife in the eye, according to charges.
He pleaded guilty to first- and fifth-degree assault and had an attempted murder charge dropped as part of the agreement with prosecutors.
Judge Mark Starr set aside a prison term of slightly more than six years and sentenced Johnson in November 2018 to 90 days in jail.
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