Man killed in Minnetonka by law enforcement started gun battle with deputies, BCA says

The man killed by law enforcement at a Minnetonka home last week fired on the Hennepin County deputies with a high-powered rifle after they knocked on the door and identified themselves, state investigators said Tuesday.

Four deputies returned fire late in the morning of April 10 and killed 28-year-old Clint Hoyhtya, who was wearing a protective armor vest, read a synopsis released by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

Two of the four deputies who shot at Hoyhtya were wounded during the firefight, the BCA said. Christopher Heihn was hit multiple times, was taken to HCMC for treatment and has since been released. Keith McNamara was treated at the scene after being hit by shrapnel.

The BCA said investigators recovered an assault rifle and dozens of cartridge casings from the scene in the 13400 block of E. Crestwood Drive.

“When the deputies knocked on the front door and announced themselves,” the BCA statement read, “Hoyhyta started shooting at them with an assault-style rifle. The deputies returned fire and backed away to set up a perimeter.”

Heihn, McNamara and the other deputies who opened fire, Tyler Jacob and Steven Tomasko, are all on standard administrative leave as the investigation continues, the BCA said.

The agency said it is reviewing “all available video,” including from deputies’ body-worn cameras as part of its investigation.

Deputies were serving an arrest warrant when gunfire erupted. Hoyhtya died at the scene. The BCA on Tuesday confirmed what dispatch audio and a law enforcement source also confirmed what the Star Tribune reported last week: Hoyhtya was not the subject of Wednesday’s warrant.

“Police shot the wrong guy,” Thomas Hoyhtya, the man’s father who owns the home, told the Star Tribune last Thursday.

The warrant for the 34-year-old man’s arrest is one of at least three that remain active as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records. Two involve violating domestic abuse no-contact orders and another is for illegal weapons possession.

The most recent was issued one day before the deputies descended on the Minnetonka home, court records show. The Star Tribune is not naming the man because he is not charged in connection with the shooting.

BCA statistics show 47 aggravated assaults against police officers this year through February, similar to the past three years. Last year’s statistics show about 950 total assaults on officers, which is more than double 2019′s reported numbers.

Since 2021, the BCA has recorded more than 3,500 assaults on police officers. About 70% were simple punches, slaps or kicks, and a quarter were aggravated assaults. At least 140 assaults involved firearms. Police were responding to disturbance calls nearly a third of the time.

Star Tribune staff writer Jeff Hargarten contributed to this story.