The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has recently disclosed the identities of two Carver County sheriff's deputies involved in a shooting that took place earlier this month in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The incident, which unfolded on May 4th, left 31-year-old Derek West with multiple gunshot wounds. He is currently recovering in stable condition at Hennepin County Medical Center, according to an official statement from the BCA.
Deputies James Horvath and Benjamin Sinko were the officers who used their service weapons during the altercation. Horvath, a veteran with 19 years under his belt, and Sinko, who has served for four-and-a-half years, are both on critical incident leave following the event, per standard protocol. This update comes via an official report from the BCA.
The BCA's preliminary investigation details that the deputies were responding to a domestic incident call at a home in Chanhassen on the afternoon of May 4. According to the report, while the deputies were conversing with the individual who called for assistance outside the residence, West emerged from the home, brandishing a knife and donning a white face covering. Ignoring commands to stop, West charged at the deputies, prompting Horvath and Sinko to fire their weapons, striking him multiple times.
In the chaotic moments that followed, body camera footage reveals one of the deputies retreating and losing his footing, even as West continued the advance. Crime scene personnel from the BCA later recovered a 10-inch knife at the location of the incident, along with the cartridge casings. The body cameras worn by Horvath and Sinko captured parts of the incident, and the footage is currently under examination as part of the ongoing investigation. The Carver County Sheriff's Office, which requested the BCA investigation, is awaiting the final results, upon which the findings will be turned over to the Carver County Attorney's Office for review, without any charging recommendations from the BCA.
