Prosecutors: St. Paul officer was justified in shooting man who charged at him with knife
The St. Paul Police Department released the body camera video from the fatal Sept. 15 officer-involved shooting of Ronald Davis. (FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A deadly officer-involved shooting last year in St. Paul, in which bodycam footage showed the suspect rammed the officer's squad then chased him with a knife, has been deemed justified by county prosecutors.
Ronald Davis was shot by the St. Paul officer on Sept. 15, moments after police say Davis rear-ended the officer's squad at the intersection of Thomas Avenue West and North Griggs Street.
After the crash, both men exit their vehicles. In the video, Davis is seen wielding a knife and quickly moving towards the officer.
The officer scrambled away before pulling out his service weapon and firing it, hitting and killing Davis.
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office says the case was reviewed by the Minnesota BCA who assisted with the determination. The officer involved, Officer Steven Mattson, will not face charges in the case.
Following the shooting, some activist groups questioned the officer's actions, holding a rally at the scene of the shooting in the days following Davis' death. In response, Chief Todd Axtell ordered the quick release of the body camera footage showing the events leading up to the shooting.
After seeing the footage, the Anti-Police Brutality Coalition questioned what attempts at de-escalation the officer made before pulling the trigger.