2 MPD officers receive Purple Hearts for injuries sustained in the field

Two Minneapolis Police officers received Purple Hearts on Thursday for injuries they sustained while in the field.

In a YouTube video of the ceremony, Chief Brian O’Hara said that when he became chief, he learned that the department didn’t have awards for officers who sustained traumatic or life-threatening injuries in the line of duty and decided to create the Minneapolis Police Purple Heart Award.

Both officers received the award previously but were officially given their medals Thursday.

Officer Luke Rysavy

The first to receive his medal was Officer Luke Rysavy, who was hit in the head by shrapnel during an exchange of gunfire in September of 2022.

As previously reported, Minneapolis officers were responding to a 911 hang-up call near the intersection of Fifth Street Northeast and 35th Avenue Northeast. They tried to communicate with the people inside the home and were told to go around back.

Police say that the officers heard “cries of distress” while entering the home and saw a family in the presence of a man with a shotgun.

The Minnesota BCA said that 53-year-old Brian Keith Bertram fired a shotgun at the officers and shrapnel hit Rysavy in the head. Rysavy returned fire and hit Bertram in the stomach.

Investigators say that officers then retreated and Bertram subsequently shot himself while the officers were outside.

At the ceremony, O’Hara revealed that the family had experienced domestic violence, which included the mother and 16-year-old daughter being stabbed before the officers’ arrival.

“Officers showed due diligence by fully investigating the call and when they observed the silent cry for help, they sacrificed their safety to save the lives of three innocent victims,” O’Hara said in the video. “During the exchange of gunfire, Officer Rysavy was struck in the face by shrapnel and the male was struck by gunfire from Officer Rysavy. As a result of his actions, Officer Rysavy is awarded the first Department Purple Heart Medal.”

Officer Jacob Spies

Officer Jacob Spies was the second officer to receive a Purple Heart Award.

As previously reported, Spies was shot and injured on Aug. 11 while tracking an SUV that was suspected to have been used in a recent robbery. When police ran the registration on the vehicle, they found that it had fled Brooklyn Park police the day prior.

Officers attempted a stop, but the vehicle sped off.

Authorities said Spies spotted the SUV an hour later and followed it for about a mile in an unmarked squad.

The suspects shot at Spies near the intersection of 42^nd Avenue and Colfax Avenue North, and Spies was hit in the shoulder.

“The officer lost sight of the vehicle and he came around the curve and over the hillcrest, all of a sudden he began receiving incoming automatic gunfire,” O’Hara said at the time of the shooting. “I cannot say whether the suspects in the vehicle believed he was the police or believed he was someone else. But it’s clear from what happened that they were trying to kill whoever was in that car.”

Officers pursued the SUV before it crashed into a parked car on 21^st Avenue North and Upton Avenue North, police said.

Three adults and one juvenile were arrested.

19-year-old Frederick Leon Davis Jr. was later charged with attempted second-degree murder and 20-year-old Nevaeh Lee Page was charged with aiding an offender.

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The juvenile was charged with second-degree attempted murder and received a stayed prison sentence in December.

Spies received the Purple Heart Award on Aug. 24 but officially received his medal at Thursday’s ceremony. He is the department’s first recipient of the award.

At Thursday’s ceremony, O’Hara stated that 14 rounds had been fired at Spies.

An affidavit filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also stated, “The bullet narrowly missed a main artery in the undercover officer’s right arm.”

“Despite the shock of the attack and his injuries, Officer Spies’ ability to remain calm and air pertinent information over the radio led to the quick apprehension of the suspects,” O’Hara said at the ceremony.

“While facing death and great bodily harm, Officer Jacob Spies’ actions demonstrated outstanding bravery, courage and professionalism,” he continued. “As such, Officer Spies was awarded the Minneapolis Police Department Medal of Honor and tonight, the Department’s Purple Heart Medal.”