Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Kia Farhang

Grand jury clears officers who shot couple on Hwy. 212

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Four law enforcement officers who shot and killed two people on Highway 212 in February will not face criminal charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday.

A Hennepin County grand jury did not indict the officers who shot Matthew Serbus, 36, and Dawn Pfister, 34 after a police chase in Eden Prairie the morning of Feb. 7.

Authorities had warrants out for Serbus and Pfister after they failed to appear at a hearing to face motor vehicle theft charges. The two had been dating for about a month before the shooting, according to Pfister's Facebook page.

The four officers involved in the shooting were Chaska Police Sgt. Brady Juell, Chaska Officer Trent Wurtz, Carver County Sheriff's Corporal Nate Mueller and Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Mark Lund. Spokespeople for those agencies could not immediately be reached for comment.

Minneapolis attorney Bob Bennett, who represents the Pfister family, said he was surprised that the grand jury returned no indictments.

"If you can do what the police did there ... then the Constitution really doesn't mean that much," Bennett said.

Serbus and Pfister, both from Elkhorn, Wisconsin, were in a car stolen in Colorado, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said.

Police chased them after a hit-and-run until they crashed in Eden Prairie.

Serbus came out of the red Saab carrying a knife, and police shot him when he refused to drop it, the county attorney's office said. Officers shot Pfister when she picked up the knife.

Bennett said Pfister was on the ground when police shot her.

"You can't shoot people sitting on the ground," he said. "Every police officer in the world knows you can't do that."