Man Shot In Woodbury Target Lot Had BB Gun: Police
STILLWATER, MN — The man shot by police in a standoff at a Woodbury Target parking lot last month has been criminally charged, Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson announced.Donald Eugene Roche, 61, of Rockford, Minnesota was charged Friday with two counts of second-degree assault, one count of financial transaction card fraud, and one count of third-degree burglary for the events that led to the police shooting on April 22.Roche stole a wallet from a construction site in Oakdale on the morning of April 22, police said. Roche then used the credit cards to make fraudulent purchases totaling over $3,000 at two stores in Woodbury, as well as attempted transactions of over $7,000 which were ultimately declined, according to authorities.Woodbury officers were alerted to Roche's location by automated license plate readers, which detected that the vehicle he was driving was reported stolen, investigators said.Officers found the stolen vehicle unoccupied in the Target parking lot just after 9:15 a.m. The steering column was damaged, police said.When Roche returned to his vehicle after attempting fraudulent purchases inside the Target store, officers approached Roche and tried to take him into custody, according to authorities.A struggle ensued and officers disengaged when they may have spotted a gun, investigators said. Roche retreated to his vehicle and barricaded himself inside, according to police.Additional law enforcement, including SWAT members, arrived and negotiated with Roche for over an hour, investigators said.Eventually, Roche exited the van with a black revolver in his hand, at which point law enforcement attempted to subdue him "with less-than-lethal and non-lethal force," according to authorities. Roche continued to ignore repeated verbal commands to drop the gun, and instead pointed his firearm directly at officers, police said. Police shot Roche, and he was transported to Region’s Hospital where he continues to recover from his injuries in stable condition, according to authorities.Further investigation by the BCA determined the weapon used by Roche was a pistol-style BB gun, "with projectiles capable of death or great bodily harm including permanent scarring, punctured skin, and permanent eye damage," police said.A warrant has been issued for Roche, who will be transferred into police custody upon release from the hospital, according to authorities.The state has launched an investigation of law enforcement’s use of force and will present findings without a charging recommendation once the investigation is complete. The Washington County Attorney’s Office will then review the findings and determine whether the use of force was justified, according to a news release.The article Man Shot In Woodbury Target Lot Had BB Gun: Police appeared first on Woodbury, MN Patch.
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