Authorities have shed new light on a police encounter in Chanhassen that ended in gunfire and an arrest. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released identities and details about the March 26 incident involving a Bloomington woman and a law enforcement officer.
Amanda Nelson, 33, was involved in a pursuit that led to the use of force by Officer Zachary Robertson of the South Lake Minnetonka police. Nelson wanted on an aggravated assault arrest warrant from Illinois, was later apprehended and treated for minor injuries. She is now facing charges tied to the ordeal.
Officer Robertson, with an 18-year service record, fired shots during the attempt to apprehend Nelson after she allegedly pointed a gun at him. The engagement unfolded after Nelson failed to yield to a traffic stop, prompting a high-speed chase that ended with a pursuit intervention tactic (PIT) near Highways 41 and 5. The BCA confirmed that Robertson is on standard administrative leave following the incident.
The drama began when Robertson checked Nelson's vehicle plates and discovered the active warrant. A vehicle pursuit ensued when Nelson refused to pull over. Both officers initially attempted to use a PIT maneuver to halt Nelson near the North Coop Restaurant in Excelsior, Minn, where the confrontation escalated. Robertson drove his squad car in front of Nelson's vehicle to prevent her from driving away. She pointed a gun at him and, while inside his squad car, Robertson fired his gun at her multiple times through his windshield,
according to the official report. Nelson was not hit and fled the scene, only to be captured hours later.
Following the incident, BCA crime scene personnel found a black Smith & Wesson BB gun air pistol in Nelson's car. The event was documented via body and squad car cameras and is currently under review as part of the active investigation. After completion, the BCA will hand over its findings to the Carver County Attorney's Office, sans charging recommendation. Details of the case were published on the official BCA website.
