BCA investigates 2 "use of force" incidents in Pine County in one day, including apparent suicide
UPDATE: On Feb. 27, the BCA identified the victim in the deadly I-35 encounter as 34-year-old Kyle Bazant, of Bayfield, Wis. His official cause of death is listed as "a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head." A deputy who fired "less-than-lethal beanbag rounds" in the encounter was identified as Carl Hawkinson, an 11-year law enforcement veteran.
PINE COUNTY, Minn. -- The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating two separate "use-of-force" incidents that happened Tuesday in Pine County.
The first happened in Pine City just before 2 p.m. The BCA says Pine County Sheriff's deputies were trying to arrest a man who has a felony warrant. The deputies ended up shooting the man, who is in critical condition at an area hospital.
The second incident happened at about 4 p.m. on northbound Interstate 35, just south of Sandstone. The BCA says state troopers were chasing a speeding vehicle and deployed stop sticks. That vehicle then drove into a ditch.
Pine County Sheriff's deputies came to the scene to assist. The BCA says the driver wouldn't leave their vehicle, leading a deputy to use less-lethal rounds and a K-9 to force compliance, with the rounds breaking the vehicle's windows
Troopers and deputies eventually found the driver dead inside from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The BCA says neither troopers nor deputies fired service weapons in the encounter.
The BCA says law enforcement in both situations wore functioning body cameras.