BCA names officers involved in Chanhassen shooting, reports teen had 'handgun-style BB-gun'

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the sheriff’s deputies who discharged their weapons during the fatal officer-involved shooting on July 13 in Chanhassen.

According to the BCA, two officers who discharged their weapons are now on standard administrative leave.

The three involved in the incident have been identified as Corporal Jacob Hodge, who has been with the department for 18 years. Another officer was identified as Deputy Travis Larson, who has been with the department for two years. The other officer was identified as Corporal Josh Baker, who has been with the department for 11 years.

Corporal Hodge and Deputy Larson discharged their guns. Deputy Larson discharged his taser and pepper spray. Corporal Baker discharged his Taser.

According to the BCA, deputies responded to the home Friday morning following a 911 call from a woman reporting that her 16-year-old son, now identified as Amorosi, was suicidal and was threatening her with knives and a baseball bat.  

According to the preliminary investigation, Amorosi refused the deputies’ repeated orders to exit the house. A Taser and pepper spray deployed through a window were ineffective. The deputies remained outside.

At one point Amorosi ran out the front door of the home holding a hatchet and "what appeared to be a handgun." Deputies continued verbal commands and again deployed a Taser, but it was ineffective.

At one point, deputies Hodge and Larson discharged their weapons, striking Amorosi. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

BCA investigators recovered a hatchet and a "handgun-style BB-gun" from near Amorosi’s body. 

Deputy Larson was transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He was treated and released. There were no other injuries and no one else was inside the home at the time of the shooting.

Responding agencies included the Carver and Hennepin County sheriff’s offices, the South Lake Minnetonka and Minnetrista police departments and the Minnesota State Patrol.

Body cameras and dash cam video captured portions of the incident. The BCA’s investigation is ongoing.