Officer who fatally shot man in Austin, Minn. identified
Police shot and killed a man at Kwik Trip gas station Thursday evening in Austin, Minnesota.
AUSTIN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal of Apprehension has released the identity of the officer who shot and killed a man in Austin, Minnesota following a long standoff.
Investigators say Officer Zachary Gast fired the shots that killed 38-year-old Kokou Christopher Fiafonou last week.
The shooting happened on December 23, following a standoff that stretched more than 24 hours at Fiafonou's apartment on the 1200 block of 4th Avenue NW.
According to Austin police, the incident started on the afternoon of December 22 around 3:45 p.m. when police were called to 7th Street NW and 8th Avenue NW for the report of a man walking in traffic holding a knife. After responding, police say they spotted Fiafonou holding a machete.
Police said Fiafonou ignored there orders, and they followed him to an apartment near 4th Avenue NW and 11th Street NW. At the residence, they tried to Tase him but say it was ineffective.
Austin Police were in a stand-off with a man armed with a machete for more than 24 hours.
Saying Fiafonou made threats to harm others, police called in negotiation teams who tried to work with Fiafonou to get him out of the home. During the ensuing police say they also used pepper gas and less-lethal foam munitions but say those were also ineffective.
At 6 p.m. on December 23, more than 24 hours later, officers say units were "drawn down to uniformed officers posted in the area to continue to monitor the situation."
At 9:30 p.m., police say Fiafonou walked out of the home and to a gas station, still armed with a knife. Ultimately, as police confronted him, officers fired shots, mortally wounding Fiafonou. Police say they tried to resuscitate him, but ultimately he died at the scene.
In an update on Tuesday, police say a knife was found at the scene. They also say the Austin Police Department doesn't have body-worn cameras but squad dashcam video did capture the incident.
The BCA continues to investigate the incident and will submit results to the Mower County Attorney's Office for review.