An early-morning traffic stop in Inver Grove Heights turned chaotic when a police officer's gun accidentally went off as officers closed in on a vehicle, police said. The single round hit a tire, and no one was in or near the car at the time of the discharge. The driver ran off on foot, was later found injured after falling over a fence, and was taken to a hospital. The department says the incident will be reviewed under its standard procedures.
What police say
Officers first tried to pull the vehicle over near South Street and Sixth Avenue South at about 3:40 a.m. Wednesday, but lost sight of it when the driver took off, according to CBS Minnesota. A different officer later spotted the same vehicle and initiated another traffic stop. As an officer walked up to the driver's side, the officer's gun "accidentally fired a single shot" that struck the vehicle's tire.
Department statement
The Inver Grove Heights Police Department said the shot "was not directed at anyone" and that no one was in or near the vehicle when the accidental discharge occurred, as reported by Fox9. Police also said the person who ran from the scene was the only person in the vehicle and was taken to a local hospital after the fall over the fence.
Policy and review
According to Inver Grove Heights' published use-of-force policy, officers are discouraged from firing at moving vehicles and the manual explicitly states, "Officers should not shoot at any part of a vehicle (e.g., tires or engine block) in an attempt to disable it," according to the Inver Grove Heights Police Department. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is responsible for investigating officer use-of-force incidents that result in death or serious injury, although it typically steps in only for those more serious cases, per the state's Department of Public Safety (Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension).
What happens next
Police said the person who fled the scene will face charges, but the department has not yet released details about specific counts or a timetable for its internal review, according to CBS Minnesota. City officials have not issued any further public comment as the review gets underway.
