Mendota Heights Officer's Alleged Killer Indicted By Grand Jury
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The man suspected of killing police officer Scott Patrick of Mendota Heights has been indicted by a multi-county grand jury.
Brian George Fitch Sr., 39, of Mendota Heights, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, the Dakota County Attorney's Office announced Friday.
He also faces three counts of attempted first-degree murder for trying to kill three other officers when he was arrested.
Police say that Fitch shot Patrick, 47, a 19-year veteran of the Mendota Heights Police Department, on July 30 during a routine traffic stop.
That evening, a number of police officers were involved in a standoff with Fitch, who was holed up inside a Hyundai Veracruz with another woman, later identified as 36-year-old Kelly Lee Hardy. Police said Fitch fired several rounds at officers, and they returned fire.
Sources told WCCO that Fitch showed no sign of either giving up or surrendering. An officer said he was ducking up and down in the seat while firing.
According to WCCO's source, Hardy was hit and rolled out of the SUV, and that she told officers that Fitch would never come out of the vehicle. SWAT officers using an armed vehicle eventually managed to apprehend Fitch, who had been shot several times.
He was taken to Regions Hospital. While under watch by a St. Paul Police officer, sources told WCCO, Fitch looked directly at the officer and said, "Just to let you know, I hate cops and I'm guilty."
The grand jury was jointly convened by Dakota and Ramsey counties. Fitch's case will be prosecuted in Dakota County.
He is being held at Stillwater State Prison and is expected to make his first appearance in court soon.
