Maple Grove Officer Cleared In Non-Fatal Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Maple Grove police officer will not face any criminal charges for shooting and wounding a man who was wielding a knife in February, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Friday.
Authorities say Officer Jeffrey Albers, a 20-year veteran of the Maple Grove Police Department, was justified in his actions when he used deadly force against 50-year-old DeWayne Burlingham.
According to court documents, police were sent to Burlingham's home on Feb. 7 on a call for assistance. Police say Burlingham let Officer Albers and Officer David Anton into his home. Burlingham then allegedly began poking his eye with the tip of a knife. Police shot Burlingham with Tasers, but the criminal complaint says he fell to the floor but held onto the knife and began to cut his stomach.
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Police say Burlingham then asked officers to kill him and started moving toward Officer Albers. Audio from the Taser and squad camera recorded officers telling Burlingham to stop and drop the knife. Officer Albers said he felt that Burlingham was going to stab him, so he fired two shots.
"All reasonable attempts at (de-escalation) were unsuccessful and officers found themselves in a confined space with a person advancing on them with a knife," Freeman said.
