Crime & Safety

UPDATED, 4:01 p.m.: Roseville Police Shoot Dead Wayne Malone, 55, in Larpenteur Avenue Apartment

Police responding to a 911 call fatally shot a Roseville man in the hallway outside his Larpenteur Avenue apartment.

UPDATED, 4:01 p.m.:Β Malone did not return fire Thursday evening in the altercation that lead to his death, police said.

The medical examiner ruled that he was struck by two bullets, in the chest and the abdomen, Roseville Police Chief Rick Mathwig said in a press conference Friday afternoon.

β€œThis all occurred in a very, very, very short period of time,” Mathwig said.

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A tenant living across the hall from Malone said she heard seven or eight shots fired.

β€œLesser forces were not available,” Mathwig said. β€œOne officer had a taser out, but when met with a person carrying a fire arm, that taser is useless.”

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Malone fell to the floor after he was shot, and police officers subsequently handcuffed him, Mathwig said.Β  CPR was attempted by paramedics, but Malone was declared dead at the scene.

Mathwig confirmed that both officers fired their weapons.Β 

β€œOfficers across the country mentally prepare themselves for deadly force, officers across the country physically prepare themselves for deadly force, but we all hope it never happens,” he said.

Mathwig said the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has interviewed witnesses, spoken with the officers involved in the shooting, and investigated the crime scene.

UPDATED, 1:37 p.m.:Β Police have identified the man shot and killed in his apartment Thursday evening as 55-year-old Wayne Malone of Roseville. Roseville police had responded to four previous calls to Malone’s apartment since February 2010.

When officers Joe Adams and Grant Dattilo approached his second-story apartment, Malone was found inside of his unit pointing a pistol at them, according to a Friday press release.

Police said Malone refused β€œrepeated” orders by the officers to drop his gun. Paramedics attempted to revive Malone, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police were responding to an 8:22 p.m. 911 call. The caller was β€œcrying” and sounded unable to breath, according to the Ramsey County 911 communications operator who answered the phone.

Malone’s wife and adult child were found unharmed when officers cleared the apartment police said.

Officers Adams and Dattilo have been placed on administrative leave and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.

Tracy Hutchins, the caretaker of 655 W. Larpenteur, lived down the hall from the apartment where the shooting took place. A bullet hole could be seen across the hall from her door Friday morning.

β€œAs far as I know, he was a good tenant,” she said. β€œHe protected the area. He was nice to us.”

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined Malone’s death was a result of gunshot wound(s).

Roseville police released a summary of the four previous calls for service they responded to at Malone’s apartment since February 2010:

February 19, 2010: Officers travel to 655 Larpenteur Avenue Apt. 6 to search for a wanted suspect who was alleged to be staying with Malone. When officers knocked on the door, Malone immediately exited his apartment and charged both officers flailing his hands and fists. Malone was Tased by officers and transported to Region’s Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Officers found a large KA-BAR knife inside the apartment entry on a shelf. When questioned about the knife, Malone replied β€œyou never know who is at your door in this place.”

August 6, 2011: Officers are dispatched to 655 Larpenteur Avenue Apt. 6 on a report of an unconscious but breathing male. Officers arrive on scene and determine the medical victim is Malone. Responding officers learn Malone has been combative with treating first responders/paramedics. First responders and police apply soft restraints to Malone so he is unable to hurt himself or others. Malone is determined to have a .27% alcohol concentration during a preliminary breath screening. Malone is transported to Region’s Hospital for treatment.

August 18, 2011: Officers and emergency medical first responders are dispatched to 655 Larpenteur Avenue Apt. 6 on a report Malone is making threats to kill people in his apartment building. The caller reports Malone is extremely agitated. Officers and medical first responders arrive on scene. Malone is transported to a hospital on a 72-hour police psychiatric evaluation.

September 7, 2011: Malone calls police about individuals having loud conversations outside his apartment and being confrontational. Officers investigate and determine the disturbance is gone on arrival.

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Roseville police shot a man to death Thursday evening at Apt. No. 6, 655 W. Larpenteur Ave. after a woman who sounded like she was being choked called 911, the Pioneer Press reported.

Residents of the apartment building said Friday morning that the couple had a daughter living in the apartment, and that the woman and her daughter were alive and β€œokay.”

Erica Brown and David Page lived directly across the hall from the shooting.

β€œI heard something like, β€˜Put the gun down,’ and then seven, eight shots went off,” Brown said.

In response to the 911 call, two police officers came to the apartment’s second floor, where, after opening a fire door, they were confronted by a man who appeared to be armed with a handgun, Roseville Police Chief Rick Mathwig told the Pioneer Press.

Both officers opened fire, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Brown said she dropped to the ground when she heard shots and, after the shooting, looked through her peephole and saw the man’s body in the hallway.

β€œWhen I did exit the apartment, I had to step over his body,” Brown said. β€œI’m pretty traumatized. I already don’t get sleep--I have sleep apnea--and now I can see his body, it’s fixed in my head. I’m still shaking like I was in there with them.”

All of the tenants in the three-story apartment building were evacuated Thursday evening and taken to Concordia University for more than 12 hours, tenants said.

Friday morning, tenants paced the apartment building’s second-story hallway, pointing to the blood splatter and bullet holes.

Police have not disclosed the name of the man who was shot or the names of the officers involved.

Roseville Police are expected to issue a press statement sometime today.

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