Officers' use of force ruled justified in shooting of man outside Woodbury Target store

The Washington County Attorney says a sheriff’s deputy and police officer were justified in their use of force when they shot and wounded a man outside a Target store in Woodbury earlier this year.

That finding was announced Thursday in the April shooting of 61-year-old Donald Eugene Roche of Rockford.

The two officers — Washington County sheriff’s deputy Brian Krook and Woodbury police officer James Stoffel — shot Roche when he pointed a pellet gun at them during a standoff outside the store off Valley Creek Road. Authorities said the pellet gun appeared to be a real firearm.

Police had been seeking Roche in connection with a reported burglary and credit card fraud.

“Mr. Roche intentionally threatened the lives of law enforcement officers to exploit their trained reactions and compel the use of deadly force,” Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson wrote in announcing his decision. “Fortunately, that force was not lethal here, but the effects of being forced to react with deadly force can be very damaging to law enforcement and their families.”

Magnuson and his office reached the decision after reviewing the findings of an investigation by the Minnesota Department of Criminal Apprehension.

Roche was charged in connection with the incident and pleaded guilty in July to two counts of second-degree assault. He’s due to be sentenced in September.

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