Minnesota state trooper Ryan Londregan headed back to work after exoneration in fatal shooting

Minnesota State Patrol trooper Ryan Londregan is preparing to return to work after an internal report exonerated him of allegations connected to the fatal shooting of motorist Ricky Cobb II last summer.

Londregan will meet with patrol officials, then complete training he has missed since he was put on leave following the July 31, 2023, shooting of Cobb during a traffic stop on I-94 in north Minneapolis, according to his attorney Chris Madel.

“When he’s done with that, he’ll be back on patrol,” Madel said. “Right now, we expect he’ll be back on patrol in a couple of weeks.”

The State Patrol’s internal affairs division completed its investigation into the incident and “the findings of the investigation have exonerated you of all the allegations,” the memo signed Wednesday by Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger reads.

Londregan had been charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault in Cobb’s death. Londregan shot at Cobb as the 33-year-old suspect’s vehicle lurched forward and then took off from the scene. Two other troopers also were on the scene.

But Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty eventually dropped the criminal case against Londregan, saying she did not have sufficient evidence to prove that the shooting wasn’t justified. Moriarty also cited a recommendation from Steptoe, a Washington, D.C.-based firm whose report about the case found little evidence to counter Londregan’s defense that the shooting was justified.

Members of the Cobb family have sued Londregan and trooper Brett Seide, who also responded to the scene.

When Londregan returns to the patrol, Madel had one final piece of advice for him.

“I’ve begged him to stay the hell away from Hennepin County,” Madel said.