BCA identifies officers who shot man reportedly wielding sword
(FOX 9) - Officers shot a suicidal man in North Branch who was armed with a sword, but he is expected to survive, according to authorities.
The incident was captured by officers' body cams, according to a press release from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The press release states:
Just before 10 p.m. on Friday, 911 dispatched officers with the North Branch Police Department and deputies from the Chisago County Sheriff's Office to the 6600 block of Oak Ridge Court in North Branch after a call concerning a suicidal man.
They arrived to find a man armed with a sword. According to the BCA, officers and deputies fired both less-than-lethal rounds and their guns, striking the man.
The BCA says law enforcement treated the man until paramedics could take him to the hospital. Investigators recovered a sword at the scene.
The BCA will release more information after further investigation.
October 4 Update: In a news release on Tuesday, the Minnesota BCA released the identities of the three law enforcement officers who used force during the police shooting along with the name of the man who was shot.
According to the BCA, 31-year-old Erik Hammer was shot by officers as he was wielding a sword during Friday's incident.
Two North Branch officers fired shots during the incident, while a Chisago County Sheriff's deputy fired less-lethal rounds. All three have been placed on administrative leave per stand protocol. The BCA identified the officers as:
- Officer Tyler Lawson fired his patrol rifle. He has almost four-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
- Officer Kyle Lund fired his patrol rifle. He has three-and-a-half years of law enforcement experience.
- Chisago County Sgt. James Mott fired less-than-lethal rounds. He has 15 years of law enforcement experience.