ITASCA COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A teenager is accused of shooting an Itasca County sheriff’s deputy with the deputy’s own gun during an attempted arrest at a home in Max.
Deputies respond to warrants at Max residence
What we know:
According to a criminal complaint, Itasca County deputies went to a home on Davidson Road around 2:09 p.m. on Monday, May 4, to arrest a teenager. Elias Alexander Harper, who had missed court hearings. The teenager’s grandmother tried unsuccessfully to get him to come outside before letting Deputy Michael Cowan inside.
Deputy Cowan found the teenager in the kitchen, where he was pushing another adult. The deputy tried to arrest the teenager, who initially complied but then began fighting, pulling away and swinging his arms.
The complaint states that during the struggle, the deputy felt a tug at his right hip where his gun was holstered. Body camera footage showed the teenager reaching for the deputy’s right side. The gun then fired while still in the holster, hitting Deputy Cowan in the right thigh.
Deputy Nicholas O’Toole ran inside after hearing the gunshot and helped subdue the teenager, who continued to resist arrest and made several statements, including "don’t touch me with those bloody *ss hands." The teenager also identified himself as "native mob" and repeatedly told the deputy to "shoot me n***a."
After being tased, the teenager was eventually handcuffed and taken to jail. Deputy Cowan was treated at the scene and airlifted to a Duluth hospital with a through-and-through gunshot wound. The tourniquet applied by Deputy O’Toole stopped the bleeding. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension took over the investigation.
DNA testing later found the teenager’s DNA on the grip of the deputy’s gun.
The backstory:
The complaint details that the teenager has a history of pending and past charges, including underage consumption, multiple fifth-degree assaults, underage cannabis possession and property damage.
He had failed to appear in court twice for assault cases and was already in jail pending sentencing on Thursday, June 5. E.J., the other adult in the home, told his probation agent that the teenager became upset and fought with family members because he believed someone had told law enforcement his location. E.J. said he tried to stop the fight and confirmed the teenager shot the deputy in the leg.
The teenager now faces four felony charges: first-degree assault causing great bodily harm to a peace officer, second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, obstructing legal process with risk of harm, and attempting to disarm a peace officer.
The Source: Criminal charges filed in Itasca County Court.