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Crime, Law and Justice
MPR News Staff

AG Ellison's office, Washington County attorney to review shooting by St. Paul cop

A crowd stands in front of a truck.
A crowd gathers Sunday along Rice Street near the scene where St. Paul police shot a man earlier in the night in St. Paul.
Aaron Lavinsky | Star Tribune via AP

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A special prosecutor will review the case of a former St. Paul police officer fired this week after shooting and wounding an unarmed suspect, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Friday.

Chief Todd Axtell fired Officer Anthony Dean for shooting 31-year-old Joseph Javonte Washington. Axtell says Dean's use of force was neither reasonable nor necessary.

Washington emerged from a North End dumpster naked and with no possessions Nov. 28 as police tried to arrest him for the alleged sexual assault and kidnapping of his girlfriend earlier that day in Lakeville.

Previously Questions remain in St. Paul police shooting of Black man

Washington County Attorney Pete Orput said one of his assistants will review the case with Ellison after the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension wraps up its investigation.

Orput says they want to avoid any conflict of interest in Ramsey County.

"I think we're doing the best we can to make sure this looks fair and reasonable to everybody, including the cop," the county attorney said.

Washington faces five felony charges in Dakota county, including rape, kidnapping, and assault. He suffered at least two gunshot wounds and was hospitalized.

On Friday, the BCA identified two more officers involved in Washington’s shooting. The investigating agency said Officer Flavio Becerra and Sergeant Kathleen Brown used less-lethal weapons, a PepperBall gun and a Taser. Brown has been with St. Paul police for 18 years, and Becerra for three.

A total of five officers responded.