St. Cloud man allegedly steals from shop, assaults employee and flees from police before fatal self-inflicted gunshot
[KSTP]
UPDATE: The man involved in this case has been identified as 19-year-old Noah James Johnson of St. Cloud. According to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A man in St. Cloud is dead following an alleged robbery, assault and self-inflicted gunshot.
According to a release from the St. Cloud Police Department, at around 11:41 a.m. Wednesday officers responded to a report of an assault at a store in a mall. When officers arrived, they discovered three men were in the store when one of them stole an item. While an employee attempted to take a picture of one of the males involved, he was punched in the face causing visible injures. The three suspects fled on foot.
At approximately 11:59 a.m. a Stearns County Deputy detained a man matching one of the suspect's descriptions in the 10 block of Waite Avenue in Waite Park. The deputy and a St. Cloud officer were originally given a false name, however, they were able to determine the man's identity and discovered he had a felony warrant for a felon in possession of a firearm. At 12:29 p.m. the officer advised the suspect that he was under arrest at which point he fled, and the officer gave chase. At 12:50 p.m. a K9 track led officers toward a shed behind a residence in the 10 block of Cherry Street in Waite Park. As officers approached they heard what sounded like a gunshot coming from inside the shed.
Officers cleared the shed with the K9 and found the suspect with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. A handgun was also recovered from the shed.
Officers provided medical care on scene and the suspect was transported to St. Cloud Hospital where he later died.
Surveillance video appears to show the man in this incident is the man who had assaulted the store employee.
Officers never discharged their firearms during this incident.