CONTACT:

Bonney Bowman
651-793-1128
Bonney.Bowman@state.mn.us

Dec. 17, 2022

BCA Identifies Officers Involved in New Auburn Incident

ST. PAUL — The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the man who died during a use-of-force incident Dec. 15 in New Auburn in Sibley County. The Hutchinson Police Department, Sibley County Sheriff’s Office, and McLeod County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. According to the medical examiner, Brent Alsleben, 34, of New Auburn, died of gunshot wounds.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified three Hutchinson Police Officers and two McLeod County Sheriff’s Deputies who used force during this incident. Only the Hutchinson officers are on standard administrative leave.

• Officer Taylor Fenrich fired his duty pistol. He has 17 years of law enforcement experience.
• Officer Phillip Mielke fired his patrol rifle. He has nine years of law enforcement experience.
• Officer Tyler Schmeling fired his patrol rifle. He has eight years of law enforcement experience.
• Deputy Andrew Demeyer discharged his Taser. He has 16 years of law enforcement experience.
• Deputy David Olson discharged his Taser. He has 17 years of law enforcement experience.

Around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, Alsleben’s family asked the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a welfare check, citing concerns for his mental health. A deputy and EMTs initially responded to Alsleben’s apartment in New Auburn. Several hours after they arrived, reports indicate Alsleben displayed a knife and swung it at the responders. Deputies continued to try to speak with Alsleben, encouraging him to safely leave his apartment.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Dec. 15, the three Hutchinson officers and two McCleod County deputies forced open Alsleben’s apartment door. They asked him to surrender but did not go inside. They could not see him and he was not responding to their commands. According to body camera footage, there appeared to be something on fire in the apartment. That’s when the officers and deputies entered the apartment and saw Alsleben lying on the living room floor with a large, hunting-style knife in his hand. They attempted to take him into custody. He struggled and cut one of the officers with the knife. The deputies attempted to use their Tasers on him. They were unsuccessful and Alsleben started to stand up, still holding the knife. The three Hutchinson officers fired, striking Alsleben.

BCA crime scene personnel recovered a knife at the scene. Portions of the incident were captured on body camera footage, which BCA agents are reviewing. Along with Hutchinson police and McLeod County deputies, members of the Sibley County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the scene but were not involved in the use-of-force incident. The officer and deputies involved in the incident have not yet submitted statements to the BCA but are expected to do so in the coming days.

The Sibley County Sheriff’s Office asked the BCA to investigate the incident. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without recommendation to the Sibley County Attorney’s Office for review.

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