Virginia police shooting: Videos show man fatally shot by officer

Virginia, Minnesota police fatally shoot man [RAW]

Footage from a body camera shared by the Virginia Police Department shows the moment an officer fatally shot a man. Investigators say the man was holding a torch lighter, which resembled a handgun, and pointed it at police before the officer opened fire. 

VIRGINIA, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Virginia Police Department released videos of a shooting that left a man dead after he pointed a torch lighter, which investigators say resembled a gun, at police.

READ MORE: Virginia police shooting: BCA says man fatally shot was holding torch lighter

Video shows Virginia police officer fatally shoot man 

Local perspective:

Body camera footage shows an officer driving before taking out his weapon. 

The officer then steps out of his squad car and points his handgun at the suspect while ordering him to put his hands in the air.

The footage then shows the officer opening fire, fatally striking the suspect.

READ MORE: Man dead after officer-involved shooting in northern Minnesota, BCA investigating

The backstory:

Virginia police said officers were dispatched around 8:20 a.m. to the 300 block of 2nd Avenue South for a report of a man wearing a ski mask who was pacing and waving a handgun on May 1.

When officers arrived, they encountered the man walking down the sidewalk. Police say the man ignored commands to drop the weapon and pointed what appeared to be a handgun at officers. An officer then discharged their weapon, striking the man, according to police. 

Police say they administered first aid at the scene, and he was transported to the hospital, where he died from his injuries. 

The man was later identified by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office as Ethan Roy Basche, 31, of Chisholm.

The officer who fired the shots is identified as Lt. Henry Trunk, who has 10 years of law enforcement experience. 

Dig deeper:

The Virginia Police Department also released dashboard camera footage that shows Basche pointing the torch lighter at police. 

The footage then shows him falling to the ground after being struck by gunfire. 

That footage can be seen on the Virginia Police Department website. Viewer discretion is advised. 

What's next:

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is expected to present its findings to the St. Louis County Attorney's Office for review. The county attorney will then decide whether the shooting was justified or if the officer should face criminal charges.