BCA identifieds St. Louis County deputies involved in fatal shooting of drive-by shooting suspect
[Northland Firewire]
Tuesday, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the deputies who shot a drive-by shooting suspect in Mountain Iron.
According to the BCA, Ryan Smith is an 11-year veteran of the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office and Matt Tomsich is a 12-year veteran of the department.
The BCA said both deputies declined interviews with BCA agents. Both deputies are on standard administrative leave.
Authorities fatally shoot man believed to be involved in drive-by shooting in Iron Range
The sheriff’s office said deputies responded to a reported shoplifting in the 8400 block of Enterprise Drive North at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. A 19-year-old man matching the description of a drive-by shooting suspect in Virginia was seen by deputies and fled after seeing the officers. About an hour later, the deputies and a K-9 located the man in a wooded area, and deputies at some point deployed Tasers and eventually shot the man.
No other information about what happened leading up to the shooting was provided. The sheriff’s office said aid was rendered but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Estavon Dominick Elioff, of Virginia.
The BCA said St. Louis County sheriff’s deputies don’t wear body cameras and dash cameras didn’t capture the incident.
A knife was recovered from the scene.
The BCA’s investigation remains active. When the investigation is complete, the agency will provide its findings without recommendation to the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office for review.