Accident – Death – Obituary News :

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Identifies Suspect Shot by St. Paul Police Officer During Sexual Assault Response

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has revealed the identity of the man who was shot in the arm by a St. Paul police officer while responding to reports of an ongoing sexual assault. The incident took place at an apartment in the 400 block of Thomas Avenue in St. Paul.

The man shot, identified as Brett Kohl Fraser, aged 31, survived the incident. The BCA, in a news release on Wednesday, stated that Fraser is considered a suspect in the assault that the police were responding to. However, he has not been formally charged yet.

The officer responsible for shooting Fraser has been identified as Josh Needham, who possesses 11 years of law enforcement experience. The BCA has placed Needham on administrative leave pending further investigations into the incident.

According to the BCA, St. Paul officers received a call just after midnight last Saturday regarding a man physically and sexually assaulting a woman inside Fraser’s apartment. The caller also mentioned that the man was armed with a handgun.

Upon arriving at the scene, the officers knocked on the door, allowing the woman to safely exit the apartment. They then ordered Fraser to come out. However, Fraser disregarded the orders and fled into a small hallway where the officers were positioned, according to the BCA. Needham responded by firing three shots, one of which struck Fraser in the arm.

Fraser was immediately taken to a hospital for medical treatment. He has since been released from the hospital and taken into custody, as stated by the BCA.

Notably, the officers involved in the incident were equipped with body cameras, ensuring a recorded account of the events.

Prior to serving as a St. Paul police officer, Needham had been a member of the Orono Police Department. According to his LinkedIn page, Needham joined the St. Paul Police Department in 2019. However, in 2013, he was involved in a critical incident when he and three other Orono officers shot and killed an armed suspect who had just fatally shot a doctor with a handgun.

Subsequently, a Hennepin County grand jury cleared Needham and the other three officers of any wrongdoing in the death of the suspect, Ted C. Hoffstrom.

This incident highlights the challenging and dangerous situations that law enforcement officers face while responding to emergency calls. The BCA continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.

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