Chainsaw-wielding man who was shot by police now facing assault, threats of violence charges

The man who was shot by Brooklyn Center police after coming out of a home with a running chainsaw is now facing criminal charges.

23-year-old Damon Andreas Constans Jr. faces two counts of second-degree assault and two counts of threats of violence.

Brooklyn Park officers responded to a home on the 6400 block of Humboldt Avenue North for a report of a domestic incident on Wednesday night. According to the complaint, officers arrested a woman after learning she tried to stab her son, identified as Constans.

After his mother was arrested, Constans went back inside and locked the door. As he continued to speak with officers, they saw him arming himself with a chainsaw, court documents state.

Officers retreated and told him to drop it, but he started the chainsaw and left the home.

They shot pepper balls at Constans, who didn’t drop the chainsaw, leading officers to shoot him with their firearms, court documents state.

Constans is still in the hospital.

The officers involved in the use of force are on critical incident leave. The BCA has not released their names or said how many officers were involved.