Authorities: Officer shot, killed man who tried to take gun

Published 2:47 pm Saturday, July 25, 2015

PLYMOUTH — A Plymouth police officer shot and killed a man inside a fast-food restaurant after the man tried to take the officer’s gun from its holster, authorities said Friday.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Plymouth Officer Amy Therkelsen was called to an Arby’s around 8:20 p.m. Thursday about a disturbance. On the way there, Therkelsen was told the man had a weapon, the BCA said.

She arrived to find two people trying to subdue the man. He didn’t follow Therkelsen’s commands and she tried to use her stun gun, but it wasn’t effective, the BCA said.

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Therkelsen then tried to subdue the man physically, but they began fighting and he tried to remove her gun from her holster. She gained control of her gun and fired at him.

No other weapons were found.

Therkelsen has been with the department for seven years. Another officer, Christopher Hendrickson, arrived just before the shooting and witnessed it. Both are on administrative leave.

The name of the man wasn’t immediately released. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner was conducting an autopsy.

Therkelsen sustained minor injuries in the fight but didn’t need medical treatment. No one else in the restaurant was injured.

Arby’s Restaurant Group Inc. released a statement Friday saying it is grateful that no employees were hurt and that the company is arranging counseling for them if they want it. The restaurant reopened at 11:30 a.m. Friday after a hazardous materials crew cleaned up and the local health department gave approval.