Suspect in officer shooting had warrant out for his arrest
Published 2:33 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Third Avenue Southeast in Waseca was closed off to the public Tuesday morning after an officer-involved shooting the night before. A Waseca officer suffered grave injuries after reportedly being shot by a Waseca man. - Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting Monday night. - Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
The back yard of a house on Third Avenue Southeast in Waseca is marked off with police tape as the investigation continues into an officer-involved shooting. - Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
Waseca Police Chief Penny Vought speaks Tuesday morning during a press conference in Waseca. - Sarah Stultz/Albert Lea Tribune
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans speaks during a press conference Tuesday morning at the Waseca Police Department. - Sarah Stultz/Albert Leal Tribune
The man who reportedly shot a Waseca police officer Monday night was wanted by authorities after officers allegedly found a methamphetamine lab in his basement less than a month ago.
Tyler Janovsky
Tyler Robert Janovsky, 37, who has had prior convictions including meth manufacturing, was released from prison in September after pleading guilty to burglarizing a residence in Otter Tail County while naked, according to the Mankato Free Press.
A Department of Corrections agent and a Waseca police officer went to a residence at 207 11th St. SE in Waseca on Dec. 13 to conduct a probation check on Janovsky, and he reportedly fled, according to the newspaper.
While looking for him, they found equipment for making methamphetamine.
The South Central Drug Investigation Unit obtained a warrant to do a more thorough search of the residence and found meth, hallucinogenic mushrooms, marijuana and pills, along with equipment to manufacture meth and a gun. They also found nearly 900 tablets of pseudo ephedrine, which can be used to make meth, along with instructions on how to make the drug, the Mankato newspaper stated.
His whereabouts were unknown until Monday night shortly before 8 p.m., when officers encountered Janovsky while responding to a call about an unknown suspicious person with a flashlight in the backyard of a home on the 900 block of Fourth Avenue Southeast in Waseca.
Four officers responded to the area, including Officer Arik Matson, where they found Janovsky at a neighboring property on the 900 block of Third Avenue Southeast.
Arik Matson
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said officers did not know before they arrived at the address that Janovsky would be there. He said though many details are still unknown, at one point during the officers’ encounter with Janovsky, Matson was shot, and officers then shot Janovsky two times.
Both Matson, 32, and Janovsky were flown by helicopter to North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale.
Matson is in critical, but stable, condition and suffered grave injuries from a gunshot wound to the head, Evans said. Janovsky is being treated for non life-threatening injuries.
Janovsky is in custody but has not yet been formally charged.
Evans said the Waseca police officers do not wear body cameras, and the BCA will determine whether squad car cameras captured the incident.
More information is expected to be released after initial interviews are completed.
Related story: Naked man allegedly attacks Ottertail homeowner
