Wisconsin man killed himself during police chase in Minnesota: BCA

PINE COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says the man who led a Minnesota State Patrol trooper on a pursuit on Feb. 21 died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

In a news release on Monday, the BCA identified the man as 34-year-old Kyle Bazant of Bayfield, Wisconsin. They say he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 

According to the BCA's preliminary investigation, a trooper saw Bazant speeding north on Interstate 35 just after 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 21. The trooper attempted to pull Bazant over several times, as well as use stop sticks and a pit maneuver, but was unsuccessful.

About 20 minutes after the start of the pursuit, the BCA says Bazant's vehicle went off the road and into a ditch near Sandstone. Body camera video shows a Pine County deputy, identified on Monday as Carl Hawkinson, firing a beanbag round through the back windshield and another round through the passenger window. 

When there was no response from Bazant, authorities approached the vehicle and saw he was dead. 

The entire incident – from the start of the pursuit to finding Bazant dead – lasted about 40 minutes, the BCA said. 

Authorities recovered a handgun from inside Bazant's car. Body camera footage from the incident is being reviewed. 

Hawkinson has 11 years of law enforcement experience, the BCA said. 

The Pine County Sheriff's Office asked the BCA to investigate the incident.