Suspected Gunman In Roseville Shooting Had Long History Of Mental Health Struggles
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- State investigators say the suspected gunman who fired dozens of rounds at police officers and homes in Roseville on Tuesday night died after being shot by two police officers.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension named the gunman as 53-year-old Jesse Henri Werling. According to local police, Werling shot at officers with a scoped rifle after they responded to a report of someone shooting at homes on the 2900 block of Owasso Boulevard. It's estimated that Werling fired more than 100 rounds during the roughly hour-long encounter.
Werling shot one Roseville officer in the face. The BCA identified the wounded officer as Ryan Duxbury. The three-year veteran of the force is being treated at Regions Hospital and is expected to survive.
Investigators say that Werling, who lived in the area and had a history of mental health calls involving police, fired at several of the responding officers. Two of them, officers Boua Chang and Bryan Anderson, both with Roseville police, shot Werling, fatally wounding him.
The BCA says portions of the encounter were captured on police body and squad cameras. The footage has yet to be made public.
Crime scene investigators recovered a .22 caliber scoped lever-action rifle from the area where Werling was shot. On March 9, a police report from North Hudson, Wisconsin, states Werling went to his mother's apartment and was acting delusional. After he left, she noticed her gun cabinet had been pried open and a .22 caliber rifle with a scope was missing.
North Hudson police reached out to Roseville police for assistance on the case. A Roseville police officer said there was an alert on Werling's name due to "mental health cautions related to resisting police and danger." That officer then said he wasn't even comfortable approaching Werling's house if it's possible that he had a rifle with a scope.
Roseville Police Chief Erika Sheider said in a press conference Wednesday that there had been at least 15 mental health calls in the city involving Werling.
According to court documents WCCO obtained, Werling was bipolar, manic, and had psychotic features. He jumped out of a moving car while his father was taking him to the hospital. He exposed himself to neighboring children and threatened his neighbors.
That information was shared in documents to request he be civilly committed to St. Joseph's Hospital for treatment in 2019. During his stay, documents show Werling set goals to improve and manage his mental health and take medication. He wanted to better connect with friends for support. Werling was also civilly committed in 2018.
As for the stolen rifle, Werling's mother later told police she didn't want to press charges. The police report states she was working with his father to find the gun and calm him down.
The BCA says its probe into the shooting is still in its early stages. Once complete, state investigators will send their findings to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office for review.
Both officers Chang and Anderson are on administrative leave, which is standard procedure following a police shooting.