BCA identifies officer, suspect in Plymouth use-of-force incident

PLYMOUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Plymouth police officer is on leave following a use-of-force incident involving a Champlin man on Nov. 25 during a domestic dispute. 

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on Tuesday identified the officer involved as Jacob Coopet. He has 23 years of law enforcement experience. The man shot during the use-of-force incident has been identified as 44-year-old Atanas Hristev of Champllin.

Officer-involved shooting 

What we know:

Officer Coopet responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at about 4:30 a.m. on the 6100 block of Quinwood Lane North in Plymouth involving a man knocking on an apartment window. The officer arrived at the scene and encountered Hristev in the parking lot. Hristev pointed a handgun at Coopet, who then fired his weapon, striking Hristev. 

Medical aid was provided to Hristev, and he was taken to a local hospital, where he remains in stable condition. The scene was processed by BCA crime scene personnel, who recovered a handgun, spent shell casings and video evidence from Coopet’s squad car. 

Investigation and next steps 

Timeline:

The Plymouth Police Department has placed Officer Coopet on critical incident leave. The BCA is conducting an investigation into the incident at the department's request. 

Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review. The BCA will not make any recommendations regarding the incident. 

What we don't know:

The timeline for the completion of the BCA's investigation and the subsequent review by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office remains unclear.