Charges: Red Wing man was ‘aggressive’ toward deputy who shot him

A man who was shot during an encounter with a Goodhue County sheriff’s deputy last week in Red Wing is now facing criminal charges.

Court documents show Fernando Javier Carbajal, 24, of Red Wing, is charged with two counts of felony assault and another misdemeanor count of assaulting a peace officer.

According to a criminal complaint, an inspector with the Goodhue County Sheriff’s Office was the first to respond to a report of an SUV crashing into a utility pole near Bay Point Park on Tuesday afternoon.

Upon arriving, the inspector saw the driver had gotten out of the SUV and was walking away. He requested backup over the radio because the driver appeared to be “suicidal.” The inspector “was clearly in distress” while giving updates, the complaint states. The deputy would later warn of “shots fired.”

One Red Wing police officer who responded was Assistant Chief Travis Bray, who recognized Carbajal from his work as a school resource officer and football coach at Red Wing High School, according to the complaint. He went to help the officers who were tending to Carbajal’s injuries.

“I am sorry, Bray; I didn’t want you to see me this way,” Carbajal reportedly said.

Witnesses recalled seeing the driver crash into the utility pole at high speed before getting out and trying to walk away.

One witness described the man’s body language as “aggressive” once the deputy arrived on the scene in an unmarked squad car. She said the man “was screaming” and appeared to be trying to fight the officer.

Another witness noted to police that the deputy was being non-confrontational and was backing away as Carbajal advanced toward him. She also remarked at Carbajal’s size relative to the deputy, saying she thought he was “four times larger” than the responding officer. Carbajal’s driver’s license lists him as being 6 feet tall and weighing 435 pounds.

“That guy was going to get that police officer,” one witness told police. “He was after him at that point. It was scary. He seemed so much bigger.”

At one point, Carbajal allegedly got close enough to grab the deputy, and the witnesses both reported hearing two or three shots before Carbajal fell to the ground.

Carbajal was taken to the hospital for his injuries and has since been transferred to the Goodhue County Jail.

The complaint states that the Goodhue County sheriff’s deputy fell and broke his foot during the encounter. Medical records note that the broken foot was “a result of the assault by the defendant.”

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension — the agency investigating the incident — has yet to release the deputy’s name. The BCA said there is no dashcam or body-worn camera footage of the shooting.

Carbajal appeared virtually for a hearing Monday in which Goodhue County Judge Joseph Vaccaro set his bail at $10,000 with conditions or $100,000 bail without conditions. His next court appearance is set for Dec. 21.