Stearns County Man Files Suit For Being Accused In Cop's Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A St. Joseph man is suing Stearns County for being accused of killing a Cold Spring police officer in 2012.

Attorneys for Ryan Larson announced plans to sue the county in November, and the lawsuit was officially filed in U.S. District court Friday.

The lawsuit specifically cites Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner in the case, who attorneys say has refused to clear Larson's name in the investigation into the death of Officer Tom Decker of the Cold Spring Police Department.

Decker died from a shotgun blast when he went to perform a welfare check on Larson. Hours later, Larson was arrested. The officer's murder case has never been closed, despite Stearns County officials saying another man would have been arrested had he not killed himself.

The lawsuit also mentions several other law enforcement officers with the Stearns County Sheriff, the Cold Spring Police Department, the Benton County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.