Deputy fatally shoots man in Kanabec County

Updated: 5:30 p.m. | Posted: 8 a.m.

Authorities say a Kanabec County Sheriff's deputy shot and killed a man who attacked her outside a home in Mora Wednesday night.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Kanabec deputy Shanna McIalwain responded to a 911 call around 9 p.m. from a man threatening to kill someone.

After McIalwain entered the home on the 500 block of Watkins Street, the man identified as Robert Christen, 37, of Duluth, crashed his car into a tree on the front lawn.

The BCA says when McIalwain walked outside, Christen immediately charged her. She drew her weapon and ordered him to the ground. Christen allegedly ignored the orders and attacked McIalwain, punching her in the head.

Kanabec Sheriff Brian Smith said McIalwain did not fire her weapon right away.

"He continued to quickly advance on her, almost bull-rushed her," Smith said, "and ended up knocking her gun aside and began to beat her about her head and she felt she was gonna lose consciousness and going down and shot him, multiple times."

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner says Christen died of multiple gunshot wounds.

The BCA says it hasn't recovered a weapon at the scene.

McIalwain, who has been on the force for a year and a half, was treated for injuries to her forehead and arm. She's on standard administrative leave.