Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2000
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Copyright: 2000 Star Tribune
Contact:  425 Portland Ave., Minneapolis MN 55488
Fax: 612-673-4359
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Author: David Chanen, and Terry Collins

ONE KILLED, ANOTHER HURT AS UNDERCOVER DRUG BUY GOES BAD

Minneapolis police officers shot and killed one man and injured another
Tuesday night during an undercover drug deal in downtown St. Paul, police
said. No officers were hurt in the shooting, which stemmed from a drug buy
that began about 6:15 p.m. at Mickey's Diner on W. 7th St. downtown, said
St. Paul police spokesman Michael Jordan.

The undercover officers then called St. Paul police to say that they were
engaged in a drug purchase and wanted backup across the street from Mickey's
at Assumption Catholic Church, Jordan said. During the deal, "something went
wrong" and several Minneapolis officers fired between 10 and 20 shots at the
two men in a car about 6:45 p.m., Jordan said.

Minneapolis police issued a statement early Wednesday morning saying that
the suspects' car "made contact" with the officers who were trying to arrest
the suspects.

He didn't know if the officers, who weren't in cars, were fired upon. He
also doesn't know how many officers fired their weapons. The suspects drove
another two blocks on W. 7th, hit three cars and crashed into the Free at
Last Church of God in Christ, at 200 W. 7th St. The driver died. The other
suspect was in serious condition Tuesday night at Regions Hospital in St.
Paul.

An 11-year-old boy, Marcus Coleman, was standing outside the Free at Last
Church near an entrance, banging on a plastic garbage can, when he heard the
car crash into the church wall more than 20 feet away. He ran inside to get
his mother and stepfather who were attending services. His stepfather,
Ernest Stephens, came outside to help, but as he approached the car to see
what happened, police came up. One officer yelled, "Move away, he's got a
gun," Stephens said.

The police moved toward the car, and the person in the front passenger seat
pulled out a shotgun, Stephens said. Three or four shots were fired,
Stephens said, but he didn't know whether it was police or the passenger
firing. Jordan couldn't confirm Stephens' account, and said police were
still interviewing witnesses. The St. Paul Police Department's homicide unit
is investigating.

Jordan said Minneapolis Police Chief Robert Olson met with St. Paul police
Tuesday night and didn't make a public statement about the case. "We're
trying to piece it all together," Jordan said. Tuesday's killing is the
fifth fatal shooting involving Minneapolis officers within a year. The most
recent happened Nov. 1, when Alfred Sanders was killed in a south
Minneapolis alley after he reportedly drove a car toward officers. Jordan
said he didn't know how many times the suspects were shot. There were two
St. Paul squad cars, one unmarked, that helped back up the Minneapolis
officers. The St. Paul officers monitored the scene by cell phone. Jordan
said none of the St. Paul officers fired shots.

Jordan hadn't talked to the Minneapolis officers involved in the shooting.
He didn't know if a weapon was found in the suspects' car. He said no drugs
were found on the suspects or in their car, but investigators haven't
completed searches.

The suspects hit two parked cars and another car. Inside that vehicle were
two women, who were taken to Regions and treated for minor injuries, Jordan
said. The owner of Mickey's Diner, Eric Mattson, said drug trafficking in
the area of his business has been an ongoing battle. "It's been really tough
for us," he said. "If any good can come from this, I hope they can clean
this corner up." "It's a tough problem for the police," Mattson said. "It
seems they run everybody off and they come back a few weeks later." He said
the drug problem has existed for years.

He had called St. Paul police on Tuesday to complain about drug activity
around his diner and in the area.

The diner, which Mattson's father helped found, continued to serve customers
as police continued their investigation in the street outside. Rochele
Hultman, a clerk at Fantasy Gifts on W. 7th, was in the store with three
customers when she heard the car crash into Free at Last Church. They went
outside and saw Stephens and the church members approach the car. She and
the customers ran back inside when the officers said the people in the car
had a gun, then she heard three to four gunshots.
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MAP posted-by: Don Beck