County Attorney Declines to Prosecute Officers Involved in 2021 Shooting

(KNSI) — The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office says they will not prosecute the officers involved in a fatal shooting last fall, saying it was a justified use of force.

The attorney’s office says on November 28th, 2021, police from Mounds View and New Brighton responded to an armed robbery at a liquor store in Mounds View. An employee said 21-year-old Noah Kelley was “just unlucid” during the incident and said he tried to wrestle Kelley’s gun away from him. He said Kelley pointed the gun at his head and pulled the trigger, but it didn’t go off. He says Kelley “went on a tirade” and was breaking bottles, so he escaped.

When police arrived, they were told Kelley may still be inside and may be armed.

Investigators say Kelley had his gun pointed at the officers and walked toward them. He was reportedly warned to drop his gun several times before police fired. Kelley was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension initially investigated the case before turning it over to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office for possible prosecution. The attorney’s office ruled the shooting justified, and the officers will not be prosecuted.

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