Authorities fatally shoot man believed to be involved in drive-by shooting in Iron Range

One of the men allegedly involved in a Friday morning drive-by shooting in Virginia was shot dead by authorities on Saturday afternoon in Mountain Iron, sister station WDIO reported.

The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office says around 12:30 Saturday afternoon they responded to a report of a shoplifter at a business on the 8400 block of Enterprise Drive North in Mountain Iron.

The sheriff’s office says the 19-year-old man, who deputies learned matched the description of a suspect in a drive-by shooting incident in Virginia, fled on foot after refusing commands outside of the business.

Approximately an hour later, the sheriff’s office says deputies and the K-9 located the man in a wooded area.

At one point, deputies deployed tasers and eventually two deputies discharged their firearms, striking the man, the sheriff’s office says.

The deputies rendered medical aid but emergency responders determined that the man died at the scene.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s office will conduct an autopsy.

The sheriff’s office isn’t identifying the man until family is notified.

The deputies who discharged their weapons have been placed on standard administrative leave.

The Virginia, Eveleth, Gilbert police departments and the Minnesota State Patrol assisted the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office on scene.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will conduct an independent investigation of the incident.