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Crime, Law and Justice
MPR News Staff

Police fatally shoot carjacking suspect in Isanti County

Law enforcement on the side of a state highway.
A carjacking suspect died and a police dog was injured by gunfire following a pursuit on Sunday on Minnesota Highway 65 north of the Twin Cities.
Screengrab via KARE 11

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Updated: Feb. 22, 1:20 p.m. | Posted: Feb. 21, 7:21 p.m.

A carjacking suspect died and a police dog was injured by gunfire following a pursuit on Sunday afternoon on Minnesota Highway 65 north of the Twin Cities.

The pursuit started with a theft call at a business in the city of Blaine at about 1 p.m.

Blaine police Chief Brian Podany, speaking at an early evening news conference broadcast by KARE 11, said officers located two suspects in a stolen vehicle. The suspects then carjacked a second vehicle at gunpoint before heading north on the highway.

“Due to the severity of the crimes, the officers pursued the vehicle north on Highway 65,” Podany said, with the pursuit extending about 40 miles to the north, to near Braham in Isanti County.

Podany said the suspects’ vehicle became disabled and two men fled on foot.

The two suspects and police exchanged gunfire. One of the suspects was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was arrested. Authorities have not released any information about their identities.

In a news release Sunday night, the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office said a weapon was recovered at the scene.

A police dog from the Anoka Police Department was wounded by gunfire and is expected to undergo surgery at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center.

Podany also said a law enforcement officer was hospitalized after the initial encounter with the suspects in Blaine, with what were initially reported to be minor injuries.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the shooting.

“This is a developing situation that involves several jurisdictions with multiple crime scenes,” the Isanti County Sheriff’s Office said.

At least nine law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit or its aftermath.

Correction (Feb. 22, 2021): An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported the medical condition of the police dog. The article has been updated.