Minnesota BCA is investigating a use-of-force incident in Virginia, Minnesota. (Credit: Kacie Day) (Kacie Day / Supplied)
VIRGINIA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Authorities have named the man and officer involved in a deadly use-of-force encounter in Virginia.
Officer and man identified after deadly encounter in Virginia
What we know:
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man who died as Ethan Roy Basche, 31, of Chisholm. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) says Lt. Henry Trunk, a 10-year veteran of the Virginia Police Department, fired his department-issued firearm during the incident.
Trunk has been placed on critical incident leave by the department. The BCA is handling the investigation at the request of the Virginia Police Department.
Timeline:
According to the BCA’s preliminary findings, officers responded just before 8:30 a.m. on May 1 after getting a report of a man in a ski mask walking along Second Avenue West between Third and Fourth Street North, waving what looked like a handgun.
Lt. Trunk found Basche, got out of his squad car and ordered him to put his hands in the air. The BCA says Basche walked toward Trunk and appeared to raise what was believed to be a firearm. Trunk then fired, hitting Basche.
Officers gave Basche medical aid until medics arrived and took him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Evidence and next steps in the investigation
Dig deeper:
The BCA says crime scene teams recovered a ski mask, spent casings and a torch lighter that looked like a gun. Body-worn cameras were in use and recorded parts of the encounter.
The BCA will finish its investigation and present the findings, without making any recommendation on charges, to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office for review.
The Source: Information from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.