BCA identifies officer who fired gun during Chanhassen police chase
CHANHASSEN, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the police officer who fired his gun at a woman during a chase in Chanhassen last week.
The BCA says South Lake Minnetonka Police Officer Zachary Robertson fired his department handgun after the suspect, 33-year-old Amanda Nelson, pointed a gun at him.
On March 26, Robertson began pursuing Nelson after learning she had an active warrant out of Illinois. She failed to stop and he initiated a pursuit.
Another officer joined in the pursuit and performed a PIT maneuver on Nelson's vehicle near the North Coop Restaurant in Excelsior. The officer allegedly saw a gun and alerted Robertson of it over the radio, according to the BCA.
Robertson drove in front of Nelson to prevent her from driving away when she allegedly pointed a gun at him. That's when the BCA says Robertson began firing his gun through his squad's windshield.
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Nelson drove away and eventually crashed after officers performed another PIT maneuver on her vehicle near Highway 41 and Highway 5, the BCA says.
After a nearly four-and-a-half hour-long standoff, Carver County deputies removed Nelson from her vehicle and took her into custody.
Charges say authorities found a black handgun inside Nelson's vehicle that was determined to be BB gun air pistol. It was described as an "accurate physical replica of the M&P firearm by Smith and Wesson."
Nelson is facing two counts of second-degree assault and one count of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle for the incident.
Robertson, who has 18 years of law enforcement experience, is on standard administrative leave.