Chaska man sentenced to 5 years in prison for shooting at Brooklyn Park officers in 2020

A Chaska man was sentenced to five years (60 months) in prison this week in connection with a 2020 Brooklyn Park shooting in which two officers fired their weapons.

James Klein, 37, will serve that sentence consecutively with a 25-year federal prison sentence for crimes committed in Utah.

“Mr. Klein’s actions were extremely dangerous, and he is being held accountable,” Hennepin
County Attorney Mary Moriarty said on Thursday. “I’m grateful neither the responding officers nor other
members of the public were physically injured by Mr. Klein. Our thoughts are with all victims of his
actions as they continue to recover from a traumatic experience. The consecutive sentence
imposed today protects our community for years to come.”

On March 16, 2020, police were called to the Brooklyn Park Walmart on a report of a suspected shoplifter, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

As previously reported, officers were informed that the suspect, Klein, was purchasing ammunition and was wearing a holster.

When officers arrived at the scene, they approached Klein, who had his hand in his coat pocket, according to a criminal complaint. The suspect refused to remove his hand from his pocket and continued walking away from the officer and ignoring his orders, the BCA said.

In order to stop Klein, Officer Charles Cudd of the Brooklyn Park Police Department deployed his Taser, which had a minimal effect. Klein then ran between two cars and fired his gun at the officer, and Officer Cudd then returned fire.

Brooklyn Park officer Dane Lazenberry then arrived, chased after Klein and returned fire.

Klein pointed his handgun at a white-colored vehicle in the lot that drove off and then turned to Lazenberry with his handgun drawn. Lazenberry returned fire once again, hitting Klein, who was knocked down.

Klein was hospitalized with gunshot wounds to a leg and a hand. No officers were wounded.

Then, in May of 2021, Klein was arrested in Utah after stealing a deputy’s SUV following a traffic stop.

As previously reported by ABC affiliate KTVX-TV at that time, the Juab County Sheriff’s Office said Klein crashed a few miles away, where he got out with a deputy’s rifle and began shooting at troopers. Troopers fired back and said Klein injured a bystander.

Klein managed to escape but was arrested a short time later while trying to swim across a river. In his car, authorities found nine pounds of meth and a handgun, according to the sheriff’s office.

Klein was sentenced in federal court to 300 months in prison in connection with his crimes in Utah.