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Matt Sepic

Sheriff: New Hope shooter used 'straw buyer' to get guns

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Updated 6:50 p.m.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office said Friday night it does not yet have enough evidence to charge the person the sheriff's office identified as having illegally sold a gun to Raymond Kmetz.

Ray Kmetz spoke before the city council in 2014
Ray Kmetz spoke before the New Hope City Council in August 2014.
Screengrab

"The evidence provided by law enforcement was insufficient to bring felony charges under state law. So justice required us to make sure that he was released," Hennepin County Attorney spokesman Chuck Laszewski said, reading from a prepared statement. He noted the investigation is continuing.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said late Friday afternoon, Kmetz used a "straw buyer" to purchase his gun that he used to shoot at police outside a New Hope City Council meeting earlier this week and that a person was under arrest.

Raymond Kmetz was killed in an exchange of gunfire Monday with New Hope police officers just outside the Minneapolis suburb's council chambers. The 68-year-old had had many run-ins with government agencies over the years, including assault, stalking and making terroristic threats, according to court records.

The sheriff's office said earlier this week that Kmetz was prohibited by state law from owning the pistol-grip shotgun he used in the attack. He had been in and out of the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter and Anoka-Metro Regional Treatment Center.

The sheriff's office said it also recovered two additional long guns — a Mossberg shotgun and a Yimeng shotgun — from Kmetz's vehicle, which was parked in the New Hope City Hall lot. The serial numbers were obliterated on all three guns.

Two police officers were wounded in the shooting. Joshua Eernisse had just been sworn in as a New Hope police officer when he was hit. Also shot was Beau Schoenhard. Both officers were hospitalized and released the following day.

Court documents show Kmetz spent several years in facilities as doctors tried to prepare him to stand trial for felony charges.

The incident remains under investigation by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

"Somebody who is prohibited from owning a firearm, facilitates the transfer of a firearm through someone else," Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek told reporters. "This may very well be what's happened in this case."