St. Paul police release bodycam footage of fatal officer-involved shooting – Law Officer

By Hayley Feland

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The St. Paul Police Department (SPPD) has released the body and dash cam footage from a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred last week.

“Law enforcement officers responded to calls for help and were immediately met with gunfire becoming an active shooter scene,” Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Executive Director Brian Peters said. “This illustrates the grave danger posed to law enforcement, communities, and the decisions that must be made, in a split second, to preserve life.”

He said that “enough is enough” and called upon local leaders to “denounce violent escalation on police.”

The shooting took place in St. Paul on Dec. 7 after a woman called for help, saying that she had an order for protection against a man who was ramming his car into hers. She also informed police that the man had a handgun.

Officer Michael Tschida, a 14-year veteran, responded to the scene at the intersection of Cretin and Marshall avenues near the University of St. Thomas, where he told the man, Brandon Daleshaun Keys, 24, to get on the ground. According to bodycam footage, Keys did not comply and shot Tschida in the leg during an exchange of gunfire. Keys was shot in the head by Tschida and died the next day after being taken to Regions Hospital for treatment.

Tschida was placed on standard administrative leave following the incident and was released from the hospital after being treated for his injury.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

“While only one piece of a complex investigation, I hope the release of these videos provides some answers to Mr. Key’s family as they grieve their loved one,” said St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry. “We know the events that transpired last Thursday afternoon will have lasting effects on our community, our first responders to include our officers, paramedics, dispatchers, and our professional staff. Healing is a process that takes time, patience, and support. We stand together as one community and will do everything we can to support one another while the BCA completes its investigation.”

Tschida was also involved in the officer-involved shooting of Jaffort Demont Smith in May of 2016. According to the BCA, Smith shot a woman and then fled to the backyard of a home where he fired at responding officers and ignored their demands to drop his weapon. Police then returned fire and killed Smith, the BCA said.

This article originally appeared at Alpha News and was reprinted with permission.